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Topic: Americas Top Model Cycle 4 (Read 18612 times)

The search for America's Next Top Model begins as 35 finalists land at the airport in Los Angeles, ready and raring to audition. While thousands of girls tried out, only 14 will make the final cut, and the decision proves to be a tough one for Tyra and her panel of experts.

We first meet Noelle, a 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada; Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida; Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California; and Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, all of whom are thrilled to be arriving. While Kahlen has never been to LA before, Brandy has never even been on a plane, so she is "totally tripping out." Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, also arrives and is relieved to have been given a second chance at becoming a Top Model. During auditions for cycle 3, Tiffany's temper got the better of her during a raucous evening out on the town. Mary, a plus sized model who also didn't make it to the final cut for cycle 3, is back again and she is "not wasting anything with this one." All 35 contestants gather in the Westin Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. They howl enthusiastically when Jay Manuel and casting director Michelle Mock emerge to greet them. Jay asks the girls what qualities they think Tyra is looking for, but Tyra soon arrives to tell them personally what she's after. "I'm looking for girls with pizzazz, I'm looking for girls that are beautiful on the outside…but I'm [also] looking for the beauty on the inside, something that is rare, something that is extra special." Everyone is overwhelmed by Tyra's appearance, grateful that she took the time to pay them a visit.GETTING STARTED

The panel of Mr. Jay, Miss J. and Tyra set up to start the interview process, and the girls make their entrances one by one. First up is all-American Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota; Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California; and Kahlen, who says she has never watched a single episode of ANTM. Lindsey, a former Mormon from Louisiana is next, followed by the confident Jennifer from California. A vivacious Brittany enters the room and livens things up, and Jay wonders what would happen if he put Brittany and Janice Dickinson in a room together. "I think Brittany would come out alive," Jay says, getting a high five from Tyra. When it's Tiffany's turn, she reveals that she's taken anger management classes since auditioning for cycle 3, and notes how supportive her grandmother is of her dreams. That night at the Century Plaza Hotel, the girls take a dip in the pool and hot tub, playing chicken and a wild game of Truth or Dare. Some of the girls get crazy, trading bathing suit tops or doing pole dances, but Brittany shocks them all as she pulls her top off altogether and runs around the pool, strategically covering her assets. After their swim, the girls split up into two groups: the over 21s and the under. Those over 21 head off to the red-hot club White Lotus, while the others get "a surprise" trip to, of all places, a bowling alley. The girls get their party on in both locations, but the under 21s are happy when they find out that they stayed out later than the older group did. Auditions continue with Jessika, aka Lady Kat, with her long nails and cat-like features, followed by Sarah, the 22-year-old waitress from Baltimore, Maryland, and Lluvy, who appears in a black, sophisticated dress. Tyra realizes immediately that that's not who Lluvy really is, and asks her to change into her street clothes. Once she's happily back in her jeans and tee shirt, Lluvy tells the group about her rough childhood. Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, talks about her career, and Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, explains how she is named after a John Coltrane composition. Texan Brandy is up next, and she is feeling the pressure of the competition already. Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, tells how she spent her rent money on a plane ticket to try out for ANTM, and that although she left high school, she will be getting her GED soon. Bronx native Estela brings tears to Tyra's eyes as she explains that she and her daughter were homeless at one time, and she wants to do well to provide for her child.

PUT THOSE CLAWS AWAY

Later that evening, there's a birthday party for two of the girls, and Lady Kat riles things up a little by hollering at the entire group of girls, especially annoying Sarah. The next morning, everyone takes a visit to Griffith Park, and Tiffany advises Lady Kat to chill, knowing she'll lose a huge opportunity if she doesn't settle down. Interviews begin anew, and Mary is next to see Tyra, Jay and J., followed by Rachel, another plus sized model; Alexandria from Fort Collins, who gets some reassurance from Tyra; and self-confident Christina, the 24-year-old fashion marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida. Brita, the 25-year-old waitress from La Cañada, California, tells Tyra that she grew up wealthy, but that when her father broke his back he was unable to provide for the family, and she now supports herself as a waitress. Noelle is next, and she explains how even though she has endometriosis, she was able to have a baby, and the experience changed her life. WALKING OFF IN LINGERIE

Once the initial interviews are completed, Tyra brings everyone in for a lingerie walk-off to see how all the girls can hold their own next to each other while wearing skimpy attire. In groups, they strut their stuff for the panel, bringing the audition process to a close. Jay gathers everyone at the hotel to say that final picks will be announced the following day. Many of the girls pray together, and some cry, intensely feeling the drive to move forward. The next day, the girls learn that the first cut will take the number of potentials from 35 to 20, and Jay and J. point to a room where the ones who will move on will find their portfolios. A mad dash ensues. Many of the girls scream and cry in joy when they find their photos, while the others are devastated and tearful. TURN ON THE CHARM

The 20 finalists meet their first challenge of sorts: to pose for pictures inside a photo booth. They all line up and take their turn, some simply smiling, others turning up the heat and striking fierce poses. Tyra and the judges get together to analyze the pics, each pointing out what they like and don't like about the girls. Jay thinks Keenyah was a little flat and J. finds Tatiana a bit rough around the edges, but Tyra thinks both girls have something to offer. They like Lluvy and her "giraffe eyelashes," believe Kahlen can be molded into something special, and disagree about Noelle (Tyra digs her; Jay not so much). Naima is seen as sharp and edgy, Brittany is a little Janice Dickinson, and J. worries about Michelle's neck. Brandy's hair is a big topic of conversation: to weave or not to weave? J. loves Sarah, and Brita's got the glam thing going on, while Jay wants to keep Estela because of her emotionally moving story. Rebecca is a "clean palette," Jessika is a little one note, while Tiffany has something they can build on. J. doesn't want to see plus-sized Mary compete against the rest of the girls, despite her beauty. THE DECISION IS MADE

Once the difficult decision is completed, Tyra gathers everyone to present their pictures one by one, cutting the final six girls in the process. Rebecca is called first, followed by Christina, Keenyah, Brita, Naima and Noelle. Michelle is seventh, and Sarah, Brandy, and Brittany are next. The tensions run high as the last four slots are filled by Kahlen, Tatiana, Lluvy and, finally, a joyful Tiffany. Tyra hugs the last six left behind, and saves her longest hug for Mary, who's had her heart broken a second time. Estella bows out with grace, knowing she and her daughter will make it no matter what. The fourteen finalists are thrilled to be part of the final group, but they won't have much time to celebrate. Soon they'll be moving into the Los Angeles loft, the challenges will begin and the real competition gets started as they all vie for the title of AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL.

After the first photo challenge on the back lot of Paramount Studios, the girls get a taste of what being a top model is all about. Even though Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, has a bad attitude during the first photo shoot and makeover, Brita, the 25-year-old waitress from La Cañada, California, is eliminated due to her inability to relax in front of the camera. THE HOLLYWOOD LIFE

The sun shines down on the final 14 as Jay Manuel greets them on the New York City backlot of Paramount studios, the site of their first photo shoot. The girls will be making their home in Los Angeles, not New York, so this is their first taste of the Hollywood lifestyle. Sarah, the 22-year-old waitress from Baltimore, Maryland, is glowing, and says, "I feel like a movie star right now."

The girls are driven to a part of the lot occupied by a police car, and they scream in recognition when three police officers reveal themselves to be none other than judges Janice Dickinson, Nigel Barker (armed with a camera) and Nolé Marin. "Where are the aliens?" Janice asks with a flick of her police stick. Nigel answers, "I've no idea, but when we find them, I'm going to shoot them." The first photo shoot has commenced-- they will be transformed into aliens taking over Manhattan. ALIENS IN LA

Danilo returns as hairstylist, with new addition Matthu doing make-up, and the girls have a quick chat with the judges before they get started. Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is a little stunned at how quickly they have begun their challenges. She admits, "I think Janice is extremely scary. I wanted to ask [her,] 'Are you going to make me cry, and how many times?'" She is up first, and despite her nerves, impresses Jay. Nigel likes the way Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, moves, and tells Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, she looks "unbelievable." Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California, follows, but Jay thinks she only has one expression. Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, and Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, are next. Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, nails her shoot. Nigel notes, "Tatiana has a lot of moves-- [she's] the kind of model you fall in love with, not because they're the most beautiful, but because they inspire you."

Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, confesses she's a Trekkie, and enjoys being dressed as an alien. An impatient Brandy waits to go, and Nolé is not impressed with her troublesome attitude. When she arrives at the shoot, Brandy even tells a stunned Nigel she isn't feeling it because of the delay. Noelle, the 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada, soon gets the hang of posing, and when Sarah is finished, Jay tells her, "You were the easiest [to shoot] of the day, but don't tell anyone that." Brita is next, and she's self-conscious about her pose since her underwear is completely sheer. Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, does well, and though Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, has a hard time, she pushes through.

UM, WHERE ARE WE?

When the shoot is over, Jay delivers Tyra Mail that says they are going to "take a ride into pure luxury." However, their van heads into a less than glamorous part of town, and the girls are freaked out when they are approached by a tough looking band of folks. However, the man in front introduces himself as Magnus, and leads them into the enormous space that is the Serious Clothing showroom. Magnus has more news: behind a huge metal door in the showroom is their new home, and the girls rush through with excited squeals, staking claims in themed bedrooms that suit them best. Tyra arrives soon after to welcome them to LA, and explains why they are settling there rather than in New York. She wants them to see a different side of fashion since she got started there with her mother years before. They will experience a lot of rejection, Tyra admits, but she is there to help guide them through the process. THE DREADED WEIGH-IN

The next morning, Brandy wakes up complaining about what Danilo did with her hair the previous day. J. Alexander arrives while the girls are in the workout room and announces that the time is right to do weigh-ins and measurements. Brita is immediately nervous, explaining that she'd recently put on some weight, and she has a tough time when she appears to be heaviest girl in the group.

Tyra Mail arrives to announce that "the cut" will happen the next day at 9AM, and everyone is tense knowing that someone will go home so early on. When the time arrives, the girls pile into the van and soon realize that "the cut" is only referring to hair: it's time for makeovers! At Privé salon, Tyra describes the styles each girl will get, and Brandy is the only one who will keep her current look. However, Tyra changes her mind when she touches the dreadlocks inside Brandy's weave. Brandy is delighted to hear that the whole thing will come off. WHINERS 'R US

The makeovers begin, and after Kahlen gets a long weave, she immediately jumps into a surprise photo shoot wearing only a pair of jeans. She's slightly uncomfortable topless, but handles it well. The rest of the girls also pose for their post-makeover shots wearing only jeans. Tatiana's hair is darkened, as is Christina's, and Brita gets ringlet curls. Michelle shivers through the excruciating pain of becoming a bleach blonde, and Tiffany applauds the fact that she isn't complaining a bit. Sarah gets a Peter Pan do, and she loves the cut and style. Naima and Rebecca like their own changes as well. Keenyah gets a weave and irritates both Jay and the hairdresser when she questions them about her new style. Lluvy loves her red hair, Brittany is thrilled with her new heavy bangs and Tiffany likes her long, straight weave. Brandy isn't happy with her new super short hairdo, and Jay hits his boiling point when Brandy complains that she doesn't like the way her eyebrows look. Once Keenyah's finished with her entire makeover, she realizes she made a mistake by complaining. She loves her new cut. Tyra arrives and commends 12 of the girls for their ability to handle change, but says that two of them really "pissed [her] off" with their bad attitudes. Back at the loft, Christina reads Tyra Mail again, which announces that the first cut will be the next day. Keenyah is sure that it will come down to her and Brandy because of their attitudes. EVALUATIONS

The next day, evaluations begin with Naima, whose picture gets oohs and ahhs from the entire panel. Noelle's pic receives approval, as does Christina's. They applaud Michelle for holding her own during her makeover, but Nolé doesn't love her picture. Nigel brings up Tatiana's many moves during her evaluation, but none of the judges like Brita's shot. Nigel tells Sarah "it was fun to shoot" her, and Janice thinks her shot is hot. Kahlen gets praise for her shoot as well, and Nigel encourages Brittany to pull back on the sexiness a little. When Keenyah is up, Tyra immediately asks if she's already altered her new hairstyle. When Keenyah sheepishly admits that she oiled it, Janice drops against the table in frustration. Lluvy looks a bit sleepy in her shot, but the judges love her new hair. Nigel likes Tiffany's shot, even though she had to work for it, and she breaks down in tears when she sees her photo. Rebecca gets universal approval, but when Tyra questions Brandy about her new hairdo, Nigel brings up her bad attitude at the photo shoot. When the deliberations begin, Brittany, Tiffany, Naima and especially Sarah get high marks. Janice, who nicknames Lluvy "SUV," thinks she is "so cute" in person, but her beauty didn't translate to the photo. Tyra is still irritated with Keenyah's reaction to the makeover. Janice loves Christina, but Nigel wonders whether she has enough sex appeal. Though Brandy can take a good photo, "no one wants her around." They like Kahlen's photo, and Tyra says Rebecca "moves like the girls that are working in magazines already." Nigel isn't sure about Tatiana's face, and Janice comments that Noelle changed her new hairstyle back to her old curly one for judging. Michelle has potential, and though she has a tough look, Nolé would like to see her continue. THE FINAL TWO

The elimination begins and Tyra stands before the group to pass out the photographs. She reads the names off slowly: Tiffany, Naima, Rebecca, Kahlen, Christina, Michelle, Noelle, Sarah, Tatiana, Brittany. Four are left and the tension builds. Lluvy is next, followed by Keenyah, leaving Brita and Brandy to face the first elimination. Brita first wowed the judges with her beauty, but her photo didn't reflect her image well, whereas Brandy's attitude was the negative element despite her being "high-fashion and edgy, [with] all the potential in the world." Tyra says that Brandy's picture has saved her, and Brita is out of the running.

As she packs her things, Brita is filled with regret. "I'm just pissed off right now… first girl kicked off, [my] pictures were horrible. I was hoping this would be the next bigger, better thing for me, and I blew it."

The competition heats up between the models after Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, wins a runway walk-off and fantastic shoes for herself and some friends, but her happiness is cut short when she collapses during panel. However, when Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, and Sarah, the 22-year-old waitress from Baltimore, Maryland, are put up for elimination, Sarah is chosen to go home after Tyra recognizes her lack of self-confidence in her beauty. POM-POMS AND PIGTAILS

The day begins with the arrival of Tyra Mail, which reads, "Today you will battle to the death in a coliseum. Be ready at 10AM." The girls have no idea what to expect, and when they head to the L.A. Coliseum where cheerleaders greet them, they are surprised to see Miss J. cheering along with them. Everyone slides on platform clogs and practices walking across the grass, while J. points out problems for each girl. He later demonstrates how to walk down stairs in heels gracefully. Each girl takes a trial run climbing down the stairs while carrying an accessory, and some have more luck than others. Later, Sarah asks Keenyah for help with her walk, and they practice at the loft. The rest of the girls join in and practice posing before Tyra Mail arrives, announcing another competition. They all pile into the vans and find themselves at Kmart for a "duel" runway challenge. With the help of model and talent scout Sandi Bass, J. will judge the girls on their walks, and there will be only one winner. The girls walk in dueling pairs down the runway to demonstrate their skills, at the same time displaying not-so-glam accessories such as mops, hammers and hula-hoops. One by one, the number is narrowed down to two finalists: Rebecca and Naima. After the last walk, J. announces Rebecca as the winner and tells her she will meet a famous shoe designer as her reward. She also gets to choose five friends to go with her, and she selects Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California; Noelle, the 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada; Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, and Sarah. The rest of them will serve as assistants. SHOE ENVY

Everyone hops in the vans again to get to designer Stuart Weitzman's shop, which is filled with gorgeous shoes. Rebecca is thrilled to find out that she gets to pick out a pair of shoes for herself, as do the five friends she chose. The others have to serve as shop girls, finding their selections in the stockroom. While the losers are in the stockroom learning the ropes, Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, has a meltdown, fearing that she might get stuck between some of the mobile shoe stacks. The other girls are at a loss about why Michelle has such a volatile reaction, and Michelle hates having revealed her weakness to the others. After some recovery time, she snaps back to her old self, and Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, notes her quick mood change. SNOTTY OR GRACIOUS?

As the girls assist the chosen six, the claws come out. Although Rebecca feels she's a "gracious winner," Brittany says that everyone was aware of her snooty attitude as she rattled off the names of the many shoes she wanted to try on (while being served chocolate-covered strawberries by Tiffany). Once the choices are made, Stuart hugs the winning group of girls, and the others feel intense jealousy over all the attention. Rebecca senses a line being drawn, but has no regrets over winning, saying, "I'm not here to feed [their] egos. I'm here for me."

That night, Tyra Mail announces that the girls have to be ready for a competition the next morning bright and early, and Michelle separates herself from the rest of the group. Noelle goes to Michelle to find out why she's having a problem, and Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, and Tiffany eavesdrop on the conversation before joining in. Michelle confesses that she's bisexual and had been afraid to reveal it, worrying that the other girls wouldn't accept her. Noelle, Tiffany and Brandy come together to reassure her that it doesn't affect how they feel about her at all, and Michelle is relieved to have finally been honest. TOPDOG/UNDERDOG

In the morning, the girls end up at Griffith Park Observatory for their photo shoot, where Danilo will handle their hair; Mathu Anderson will do make-up; fashion stylist Q is on wardrobe while photographer Danielle Levitt is shooting the pictures. Tyra arrives as the girls are getting ready and announces they'll be walking ten dogs in an ad for 1-800 Flowers, with a male model in the background. Tiffany knocks out her shoot quickly, and when Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, follows, the photographer senses some tension in her eyes and face during her session. Brittany tries to pull back the sex appeal, but Jay still senses the sexiness "porno, movement kinda thing" going on. Brandy nails her shoot in the photographer's opinion, and Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, and Naima both struggle to get things right. Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, does a wonderful job, and Danielle remarks, "Michelle was a wonderful model." She also likes Lluvy's focus, but Jay isn't impressed by Sarah. Noelle was a little awkward, while Kahlen had a tough time mixing it up. Rebecca looks incredible for the camera and does a great job handling the animals.

That night, the girls find they face another elimination the next day, and everyone is extremely nervous. The next morning, the girls practice their walks to pass the time, and later they all file into the panel room for evaluation. Tyra introduces the judges, including guest judge Sandi Bass, and announces the challenge: demonstrating their walks while wearing a burlap potato sack. The girls each show off their walking ability in heels, carefully climbing down the few steps to get started.CALL THE PARAMEDICS

Evaluations begin with Rebecca, whose picture Janice admiringly calls "a little slutty, real 40s pin-up." Although her walk wasn't great, her photo goes over well. As Sandi is giving her assessment, Rebecca's eyes roll back into her head and she passes out cold, falling to the floor. The other girls rush around to help her, and the paramedics are called to the scene to cart Rebecca off to the hospital. Noelle knows about Rebecca's pre-existing condition that causes her to collapse, but it had been years since her last episode. Tyra approaches the group, and though everyone (including Tyra) is shaken up, they agree to go on with the evaluations. Tatiana is next, and Brandy recommends that she try to be lighter on her feet. The judges all praise her pic, with Janice saying it's" Stephanie Seymour meets Jacqueline Bisset." Tiffany follows, and Nigel suggests she practice her walk by "doing Stairmaster with your heels on." Her picture also goes well. When Sarah is up, neither her picture nor walk goes over well. Tyra tells Lluvy she is the only model who did something with the potato sack as she walked, and her picture is universally praised. Michelle's walk was terrible, but there is surprise when her photo turns out to be gorgeous and unique. SPLIT DECISIONS

Brandy's walk was considered angry, and her picture lacks passion. Tyra gives Christina some advice on her walk, but Janice wants her to bring it from within. Naima's walk was a little wild, and her picture splits the opinions of the judges down the middle. Brittany is next, and they recommend she lighten up her stride. Janice loves Brittany's shot, but her sexiness is brought up again, even though she tried to tone it down. Noelle's walk was bland, but her photo looks terrific, with her long, lean legs a major asset. Kahlen is told to wake up her walk with some energy, but the judges don't love her picture. Although Keenyah tripped on her walk, the judges applaud her for going on, even though they criticize her for making her clothing too complicated. Her photo is spectacular, and Tyra says the shot was "the first click of the photographer's camera." Janice calls it "the best beauty shot of the lot." Deliberations begin, and the judges argue over what they like and don't like in each shot. Lluvy, Keenyah, Noelle and Tiffany are all praised, but decisions are split for the rest. Michelle is called unpredictable, while Janice and Tyra disagree over Sarah. Nigel likes Naima even though she isn't everybody's cup of tea. Tatiana, Kahlen and Brittany don't fare well, and neither do Christina, Brandy or Rebecca. COMING HOME

Rebecca returns from the emergency room, shaken but determined to move forward in the competition. Tyra reassures her that she won't be judged for her condition, which Rebecca has dealt with since age three, and that if she's ready, they can move on to the elimination. She's prepared, so the panel begins again. One by one, Tyra calls the models forward, until only two are left standing: Brittany and Sarah. To Brittany, Tyra explains that her sexuality is "a little triple-X for the fashion industry." Tyra also wonders if Sarah "believes in her loveliness, because if [Sarah doesn't] believe, we don't believe." Finally, Tyra hands Brittany her picture, and Sarah is eliminated. As she packs her things to leave the loft, Sarah's spirits are downtrodden. "I feel like I have a lot more natural talent than a few other girls that are still in there… I'll be okay; it's just all my life I grew up as the ugly duckling, and once again I've proven to myself I'm not good enough. It's just hard."

BRANDY'S ATTITUDE TAKES ITS TOLLAfter the girls undergo a difficult challenge in which a photographer berates them at every turn, tensions run hot between Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, and Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i. Later, a Zodiac photo shoot results in a less than stellar photo for Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California, but Brandy's attitude continues to be a problem. When the judges put Brandy and Lluvy up for elimination, Brandy's anger is what finally gets her sent home.

FREAK OUTThe morning after Sarah's elimination, the girls take time to recover from the stressful night. Some of them set up a system for using the phone to call family and friends, and Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, Tatiana and Lluvy decide to make the calling order go from east coast to west coast residents. When Brandy hears this news she is furious since she had announced earlier that she would be using the phone next. Her anger grows when the other girls defend their decision, and Tiffany takes Brandy aside to calm her down. Tyra Mail arrives instructing the girls to be "on point" by noon, and they head to Stefan Wenta's dance studio for a ballet class. Stefan says, "You are going to use your body as an instrument of expression; the very good models must be form conscious." The class begins and Stefan is a harsh taskmaster, but he recognizes that Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, has previous dance training. Tiffany has a difficult time and says, "I'm not used to controlling my body. My body controls me, so this is really hard for me."WHEN TO SAY WHENLater that night, the girls are treated to a fancy meal at the Pacific Dining Car restaurant. Even though Tiffany says she doesn't drink alcohol anymore, she accepts when the waiter offers her a glass of wine. Four glasses later, she slumps over in her chair and throws up on the floor. Back at the loft, Tiffany and Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, talk things over, and Tiffany expresses how much she misses her baby and family. The next day, the group makes a trip to a restaurant called Il Cielo. They are stunned to see Beverly Johnson, the first African-American supermodel, standing before them. Beverly describes her history-making career, and the girls ask her for advice on modeling, which she happily provides. She inspires everyone with her story and her beauty. THIS GUY IS INSANELater, the next photo challenge begins, and the girls are confused when they arrive at some tennis courts to find photographers and stylists, but no Jay Manuel. They don't know that Jay is watching them from a remote location, and he reveals that the creative team has been instructed to "tear the girls to shreds" to see how they will react. "This is a very realistic situation," he says. The only thing the girls will have control over is how well they do in the photo. Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is up first, and makes a great effort to understand exactly what the photographer wants. He is rude and harsh with her, and once she's finished, she breaks down in tears. Tatiana, Brittany and Noelle, the 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada, later struggle through, and Jay notes that Naima handles herself well on the court no matter what the crazy photographer throws at her. Michelle cries a bit as she walks off the court, Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, holds her composure and Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, stares angrily as the photographer mutters into a tape recorder, "Note to self: do not print this roll." FREAK OUT, PART DEUXThe girls watch anxiously as Tiffany heads onto the court, and she balks when the photographer makes her hop around and dance. He zeroes in on her attitude, and soon sends her off the court. Lluvy is able to hold it together, but when Brandy is on the court, the photographer gets right in her face. She isn't able to hide her anger, and later, as the girls rehash their experience with the shoot, the tensions build. Naima explains, "Brandy seems to be confrontational she'll find any excuse to start taking it out on someone." Brandy chooses Tatiana to focus her anger on, but Tatiana brushes her off. Brandy threatens Tatiana, "If we could hit people, your ass would be tore up right now."Once the shoot is over, the girls gather on the court and realize something is up when Jay walks out to greet them. He explains how the challenge worked and Alex, the nutty photographer, must choose the girl who handled the situation the best. He selects Naima as the winner, who will receive a special dinner with a visit from a surprise guest. She picks Kahlen and Tiffany to go with her. At the Pig N' Whistle they wait impatiently for their guest, and mouths soon drop open when tennis sensation/fashion designer Serena Williams walks in. She gives Naima a hug and a signed tennis racket as a gift. Tiffany is nervous at first, especially when Serena asks the girls to demonstrate their walks, but she loosens up more as she chats with Serena. HEY BABY, WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?Another photo challenge is up next--the girls will all model as signs of the Zodiac for a calendar. Tracy Bayne is the photographer, and stunt coordinator Mike Li will help the girls into harnesses that will lift them into the air. The shoot begins, and Jay notes that Naima as Capricorn the goat didn't have "that same pow that she usually does." Kahlen as Aries the ram does well after she settles into posing in the harness. Noelle is Leo, and Jay says "she doesn't look like a proud lion, and I'm a Leo, so I'm pissed." Keenyah is Taurus the bull, and she mixes up her range of expressions, while Brittany does well as Sagittarius the archer. Tiffany is Cancer the crab, and Jay comments "she has grown by leaps and bounds...she commanded that set." Christina is Libra, the scales, and she is able to soften her eyes nicely for the photographer. Tatiana is the Gemini twins, and she struggles to trust the harness. Rebecca is Virgo the virgin, and although she was comfortable on the wire, she didn't change her expression enough for Jay's taste. Michelle had a great shoot as Aquarius the water bearer, while Lluvy had trouble finding the right body shape as Pisces the fish.FREAK OUT, REVISITEDBrandy waits a long time to go up as Scorpio the scorpion, and the confrontation with Tatiana is still on her mind. Following her shoot, their conflict explodes, and as she stands to get in Tatiana's face, Tiffany pushes her away. Tiffany defends Brandy vehemently, and says that the other girls are causing Brandy to lash out. Back at the loft, the disagreement is as close to resolution as it will get, and Tyra Mail arrives saying that the next elimination will take place in the morning. MAKING THE GRADEThe judging time arrives, and everyone heads into the panel room to see Janice, Tyra, Nigel, Nolé and guest judge Beverly Johnson. Photos from the tennis shoot along with the Zodiac shoot will be discussed, and Michelle is up first. Her tennis picture isn't well received, but her Aquarius picture is a shimmering delight. Naima has the reverse experience, with her Capricorn photo looking somewhat blah. Tatiana appears irritated in her tennis picture, but Nigel comments, "I quite like it," and her Gemini image is lovely. Although Brittany's tennis photo lacks grace, her Sagittarian picture is beautiful, and she was successfully able to pull back on the sex appeal. Both of Brandy's shots are good, but Tyra and Nolé both focus on her bad attitude. Beverly jokingly comments that some of Keenyah's tennis pictures "should never be seen by anyone, ever," but Nigel calls her Taurus shot "celestial." Kahlen's pictures offer differing images of her: her tennis pics lack confidence, but as Aries, Tyra says she looks "like [she's] about to ram somebody into the wall." In her tennis shot, Christina is contorting her mouth, but for her Libra photo, she is soft and pretty. Neither of Noelle's photos goes over very well, nor do Lluvy's. Tiffany's tennis shots are a little angry, but her Cancer photo is mysterious and intense. Rebecca has an off week, with her Virgo shot called "pedestrian" by Janice. WORST. PHOTO. EVER.Deliberations begin, and the judges disagree on some, but Lluvy's picture is universally derided. Rebecca's is dull; Nolé likes Michelle's; Keenyah's is "to die for" and Tatiana's has potential. Beverly loves Brittany and Nigel has liked watching her progression, but he also comments that Brandy hasn't warmed up at all in her shoots. Naima and Noelle both don't wow the judges, but Beverly sees real possibility in Noelle. Tyra notes that Kahlen is shy, but believes her confidence will continue to grow, while Beverly sees Tiffany as having "model potential." Nigel says Christina's picture is one of the best of the bunch, but Beverly comments on her small mouth, saying, "If you don't have it by birth, get it." BAD PHOTO VS. BAD TEMPERThe elimination begins and Tyra hands out the photos for the models who will continue on. Brittany, Keenyah, Michelle, Kahlen, Christina, Rebecca, Tatiana, Naima, Tiffany and Noelle are all called. Brandy and Lluvy are the final two left, and they nervously step forward. To Brandy, Tyra says that the judges aren't sure if her attitude problem can be healed in twelve weeks, while to Lluvy, Tyra confesses that hers "is the worst photo in the history of AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL." The judges see more potential in one model than the other, and that model is Lluvy. Brandy takes the news hard, saying, "If they'd taken the time to look past what they thought was attitude, maybe they would have seen the real me." She leaves a note for her "big sister" Tiffany, and after packing she leaves the house for good.

COMING UP ON AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL…One of the participants contracts a horrifying, contagious skin condition that disfigures her face, and the other models are sent into a complete panic. Later, the girls are transformed using the miracle of make-up for a "Got Milk?" ad.

SHE DOESN'T READ 'MODEL'-- NOELLE OUSTEDThe week is a trying one for Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, who is diagnosed with impetigo after her skin breaks out badly. Despite Michelle's skin problems, the girls who are up for elimination are Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California, who survives being in the final two for the second time, and Noelle, the 20-year-old realtor's assistant from Reno, Nevada, who is sent home because "she just doesn't read model." BAD LUCKAnother day begins as the girls get used to not having Brandy, the 20-year-old cosmetology student from Houston, Texas, in the house. Lluvy is relieved to have survived another elimination, but she's still reeling over the fact that she's had the worst photo in the history of ANTM. However, there's something else to distract the girls from thinking about Brandy's ouster: Michelle's face has been breaking out into sores, and the problem seems to be getting worse rather than better. No one knows what's going on, including Michelle, and she's worried.IS HE FOR REAL?Tyra Mail arrives, addressing the fact that the girls have assets as well as flaws. The girls pile into vans headed for the Make-Up Designory. The girls wait for their instructor, and are surprised to be greeted not by a hot, young make-up artist, but an old, bearded man named Paul Thompson, the Director of Education. They sit through a three-hour class in make-up, and as Paul begins to speak, the girls wonder if they'll survive such a boring afternoon. "Paul" drones on, but after a few minutes, he gives a familiar snap of his fingers and everyone realizes it's Jay Manuel. The real Paul Thompson has been acting as his assistant. The girls are instructed to make up each other's faces in a natural way, as if they were going to a go-see. Everyone pairs up and gets started, and Noelle finds it difficult to make up someone else's face instead of her own. Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, and Lluvy partner up as a trio with Michelle, and they do their best to cover her troublesome areas. Michelle is at a loss as to how to do make-up, and her stress level grows as she tries to help out her two partners. When the girls are finished, Lluvy gets great marks for her look, which Tiffany is happy to take credit for. However, Noelle looks pale and wan from the job Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai' i, did on her. When Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, says she used almost nothing on Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, Jay indicates that they should aim for "make-up that doesn't look like make-up" instead. WORSE LUCKOn the way back to the loft, the girls comment on Michelle's perfectionism and the fact that her skin is getting worse. She has always wanted to be beautiful, and since lovely competitors surround her, she is suffering because of her skin problems. "I'm looking at everyone else around me, and I look nothing like them," Michelle says with tears in her eyes. Later, Tyra arrives at the loft to have one-on-one conversations with girls. When Tyra sees Michelle's face, she offers to send her to a dermatologist, and Michelle happily accepts. She also gives Lluvy some advice on how to hold her face in pictures, tells Tiffany to open her heart to the other girls who might be feeling the same loneliness she is, and sympathizes with Tatiana over her difficult home situation. Noelle is having a hard time missing her child, and Tyra assures her that she can have a baby and still have a career. More Tyra Mail arrives telling the girls to be ready the next morning at 7AM. They make their way to the Salon at Beverly Hills to get a crash course in haute couture make-up. The girls are in charge of their own looks for this challenge and will be judged on creativity and originality. The winner and two friends will receive a one of a kind item from a designer. They each get 45 seconds at different make-up stations, including foundation, blush and eye shadow, mascara and eyeliner, accessories and lipstick. The girls scramble to get their looks done, and when it's all over, the results are almost uniformly terrible. However, Naima has come through yet again with a creative, individual look "inspired by Swan Lake or something," and she wins the challenge. This time, she chooses Lluvy and Christina to share the prize, which is to have designer Lauren Scherr custom-make a handbag for each of them.SPREADING GOSSIPAfter Noelle has a conversation with her mother, she assumes that Michelle has contracted a flesh-eating bacteria and begins to spread the rumor around the house with no confirmation or hard information about the subject. Lluvy becomes paranoid since she may have shared make-up with Michelle, and the other girls get nervous as well. As Michelle sleeps, the other girls work themselves into a frenzy, convinced that they are infected and are going to die from Michelle's condition. Tiffany's grandmother is the voice of reason. "Y'all need to get a life… Read a book or something," she suggests. The next day the girls are ready bright and early for their photo challenge: an ad for "Got Milk" in which they will all acquire a new ethnic persona through the power of makeup. Christina will be transformed into an East Indian, Tiffany as a Native American, Michelle as an Eskimo, Naima as Icelandic, Tatiana as biracial and Lluvy as Swedish. Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, will be African-American, Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, will be Korean, Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, will be Hawai'ian, Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, will be Italian and Noelle will be African. Noelle is half black, so she is proud to be transformed. There's something even more challenging to this shoot: the girls will be posing with a three-year-old child in their arms. KIDS ARE HEAVYThere is concern about Michelle holding a child with her skin condition, so she heads to the dermatologist for an exam while the other girls get started on their shoots. Keenyah has a tough time with her child, who kept slipping, but Naima was more concerned with her change of skin color, which is "a little mind-blowing, but it goes to show you're ultimately defined by who you are, [and] not the outside." Lluvy gets distracted by the child in her arms, and Noelle has the same trouble, for different reasons. She's thinking more of her own child and has a hard time maintaining composure while posing for her portrait.

NOT SO FLESH-EATING AFTER ALLMeanwhile, at the dermatologist, Michelle discovers she has impetigo, which is easily curable, but still contagious. When she returns to the shoot, everyone is relieved to hear her news, and the shoots continue. While Brittany excels in her shoot (Jay says "Best shoot yet"), Tatiana has a harder time, since working with children is not her strong suit. Because of her illness, Michelle gets to hold a doll instead of a real child, and Rebecca feels jealous since she and the other girls had to hold a forty-pound child for their pictures. On the other hand, Jay mentions that Michelle isn't able to personally interact with a child, so it's just as tough. Back home, Tyra Mail arrives announcing that elimination will be the following morning, and Lluvy and Michelle are both feeling the pressure. When the group arrives in front of the panel, Tyra introduces the judges, including guest judge Jim de Yonker, the photo shoot producer. For the evaluation challenge, the girls must apply make-up for a night face without brushes, applicators or a mirror. The dash begins, and everyone scurries for supplies and does their best before time is called. THE GOOD AND THE BADBrittany is up first, and Nigel christens her "Cruella de Vil," since she piled on the color way too much. However, her best photo reminds Tyra of a photo of herself and her mother, and she loves it. Naima's make up is also not great, and her photo doesn't make much of a splash either. Rebecca's make-up is a bit disco, but most of the judges love her edgy Italian photo shoot. Keenyah's make-up seems non-existent, but her photo causes Tyra to shout, "Gorgeous!" when she sees it. Noelle is up next, and Janice says, "I just don't see a 'model' in front of me," and her poses for her photo were limited in eye movement. Nolé doesn't love Tatiana's photo, but they all think Kahlen's photo is smoking hot. Christina's make-up doesn't do much for her look, and her photo doesn't garner much attention either, beyond her looking like "a deer in headlights." Tiffany didn't bring much energy to her photo, while Janice and Nigel disagree on Lluvy's Swedish picture. Michelle confesses to the judges about her illness, and none of them had any idea what was going on. When Michelle breaks down in disappointment over the quality of her photo, Janice relates a story of a shoot she once did with a sty and one hand over her eye and says, You've just got to project happiness." VILLAGE OF THE DAMNEDWhen deliberations begin, Christina's photo is too "Village of the Damned" for Janice's taste, while Nolé thinks it's intense. Tiffany's photo is lacking something, while "Brittany's larger than life personality will work in her favor," according to Janice. They like Rebecca and Keenyah, but feel that Naima stepped back this week to make herself invisible. Nolé thinks Kahlen is "flawless," while Noelle just doesn't read "model." Tatiana and Michelle both get low marks, while Jim loves Lluvy and Nolé doesn't. The time comes for elimination, and Tyra passes out photos to the girls who will move on: Rebecca, Christina, Tatiana, Tiffany, Kahlen, Naima, Brittany and Michelle are all handed pictures. Lluvy is again called forward, and for the first time Noelle is up for elimination. Tyra explains that the two are opposites, with Lluvy not living up to the potential the judges see, whereas Noelle photographs beautifully, but isn't very "model-esque." The one chosen to move on is Lluvy, and Noelle is sent to pack her bags. "You can either dwell on it, or you can love it for what the experience was," Noelle says. "What I think is next for me is definitely getting home to see my baby…I want to be able to provide a better life for my son."

COMING UP ON AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL…The models succumb to pressure to sign onerous contracts before an important business meeting. Later, at a party for CoverGirl, secret judges test how well the models handle themselves with industry insiders. Two models get to have a night at a luxurious beachside hotel, and at a sexy photo shoot, the models must brave rain and wind machines.

April 5, 2005 It is the fifth week of "America's Next Top Model," and the 10 remaining contestants decide to party -- and boy do they get crazy! Maybe it's too much to drink, or just BRITTANY's effervescent personality, but the "Top Model" contender, who early on was compared to a triple X-rated star for her pouty poses, moons bystanders out of a limo window as the girls are being driven back to their quarters.

Then, at a more sedate bash for their CoverGirl sponsor, the bevy of beauties is judged on how they conduct themselves with the high-powered executives and industry insiders, such as CoverGirl KIARA KABUKURU, EVA CHEN of Elle magazine, ANAIS LOMBARD of Elle Girl, RACHEL HAYES of Cosmopolitan and CoverGirl Marketing Director PAUL YOCUM.

This week's photo shoot is a wet and wild challenge, as the girls are asked to strike a sexy pose, even as they are drenched with water and battered with wind. But the reward is worth it: a night at a luxurious beachside hotel.

Then things get serious when the models are taught the business side of the beauty biz when they are pressured to sign an undesirable contract at a business meeting.

Last year, the model hopefuls got to meet TYRA BANKS' mom. This year they get to meet mom and dad, CAROLYN LONDON and DON BANKS.

America's Next Top Model:The Girl With th... Fri. 04/06/05 09:00 pm 9 WWOR The models get a taste of the business side of modeling by learning about contracts; while at a party for CoverGirl, the models are secretly observed to see how they handle themselves around industry insiders.

America's Next Top Model:The Girl Who Pus... Wed. 04/13/05 08:00 pm 9 WWOR Tyra loses her temper with a model who has a negative attitude; the models test their acting skills performing a scene opposite actor Boris Kodjoe.

THREE STRIKES AND LLUVY'S OUTAfter learning about the business side of modeling with the help of Tyra and her parents, the models take on the challenge of a desert photo shoot in which they have to pose sexily through machine-generated wind and rain. Later, when Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Lluvy, the 21-year-old janitor from Modesto, California, find themselves up for elimination for not making any pSIGN HERE, PLEASEThe morning after Noelle's elimination, the ten remaining girls adjust, and Lluvy is reeling from being in the last two called to panel for a second time. She feels the pressure to "step it up" to avoid being on the chopping block again. Soon, Tyra Mail is delivered, which reads, "How bankable are you?" When the girls arrive at an unnamed location and enter a well-appointed waiting room, a man they haven't met before hands out "confidentiality agreements." He says there isn't much time to read through the agreements, and that they can either sign them to gain entrance to an inner office, or they can stay in the waiting room. The girls are confused and unsure as to what to do, but all of them throw caution to the wind and sign away. rogress, Lluvy's luck finally runs out and she is sent home. They are then escorted into a room, which turns out to be Tyra's Bankable Productions company office. The lesson today will be learning about the business side of modeling. Tyra introduces her mother, Carolyn London, who managed the first seven years of Tyra's career, and her father, Don Banks, who greeted them with the contracts. In signing the contracts, the girls have signed their lives away forever. Of course, the contracts they signed are also null and void. Don explains to the girls that everything they will sign is important. He recommends that they trust their instincts: "If you have doubts, don't sign it." Tyra then relates a fundamental piece of information: "If an agency asks you for any type of money up front, it is a scam." HOWLING AT THE MOONThat night, the girls dress up and head out for a night on the town. They have dinner, and some of the girls order drinks. Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, ends up getting crazy in the restaurant, dancing on the low table in her high heels. Some of the others don't like this side of Brittany, especially Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who feels that Brittany's behavior isn't a good representation of the ANTM group or herself. Brittany ends up mooning a number of cars on the way back to the loft, and the other girls are a little put off by Brittany's wild side. The next day, Tyra Mail arrives, saying that it's time to have a party and to "be gorgeous" by 2:15. Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, wonders, "What kind of party are you going to go to at 2:15 in the afternoon?" The girls get gussied up in black dresses and head out to Bel-Air for a party to launch a new look for CoverGirl. Jay Manuel explains that it's essential for the girls to make a good impression before they all file into the party. What the girls don't know is that the party is really a challenge, filled with judges from ELLEgirl, Cosmopolitan and CoverGirl who will evaluate their performances. The girls will be judged on confidence and poise, how the girls work the room and how well their beauty shines inside and out. PAY ATTENTION, LADIESKiara, a real CoverGirl, greets the girls as they enter the party, and Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, does her best to make a great impression. So does Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, but a boisterous Brittany enjoys a few drinks as she chats with the party guests. Lluvy remarks, "This isn't a 'who's the loudest chick' competition, it's a modeling competition." When the party is over, Jay explains the real rules of the night, and he gives notes on everyone. Naima was too quiet, Kahlen had a great look, Rebecca was beautiful, Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, Florida, was too standoffish and Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, wasn't forthcoming enough. While Lluvy was eloquent and knowledgeable, Christina wasn't paying enough attention to the guests, Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, was uncomfortable. Jay also mentions that Brittany seemed more interested in drinking alcohol than anything else. Keenyah, however, was poised and intelligent, and she wins her first competition. She chooses Brittany to go with her for an amazing night at a hotel on the beach. When Keenyah and Brittany arrive at their luxurious hotel room, Tyra Mail awaits them. The next day they will have a challenge, but they will be allowed to show up "fashionably late" and enjoy their hotel's room service. Back at the loft, Lluvy talks with her boyfriend, pouring her heart out about how tough it's been, and she feels the pressure to excel in the next challenge. Although she recognizes that she's unique, she doesn't feel beautiful, and vows to do better. Early the next day, the girls are driven out to an abandoned gas station in the desert where they will experience a photo challenge featuring machine-generated gale-force winds and torrential rain. The photographer for the day is Matthu Anderson, an accomplished photographer as well as make-up artist, and the girls are excited to work with him. DESERT RAINThe shoot begins with Kahlen, who does her best to pose sexily while being pelted with freezing rain. Tiffany gets a bit distracted by the elements, but Matthu thinks she nails it, while Christina has some fun with her poses. Michelle is a little weak, lacking energy, whereas Naima gives Matthu a lot to work with. Rebecca still has the hometown girl thing going on, and Jay emphasizes that she needs to be edgy. Tatiana does a great job, and Jay feels that it was her best shoot yet. Jay also encourages Lluvy to act in her shoot, but he doesn't think that her poses were very attractive. Later, Keenyah and Brittany arrive, refreshed from a visit to the spa and a dip in the ocean earlier that morning. Keenyah does well, but poses too quickly, while Brittany is careful not to overdo the sex appeal and gets great marks. The next day it's time for another elimination. When the group arrives at panel, they meet the judges, including the guest judge, Matthu Anderson. Their timed challenge will involve creating a perfume, decorating the bottle and explaining why that perfume embodies their personality. The judges will act as wacky buyers interested in their products: Janice as Babs Firestein will represent Brooklyn, NY; Nolé is Nolé le Peu from France; Nigel is Johnny Hott from Chelsea in England; Matthu is Igor Slutsky from Russia, while Tyra is Precious Tang from Louisiana. The girls take their turns selling their perfumes, and some do well while others stumble badly. CHRISTINA WARMS UPWhen evaluation time arrives, Brittany is called up first, and Tyra brings up the fact that Brittany's interest in alcohol could harm her chances in the long run. Since she played the fool during the perfume challenge, the judges note that her foolishness can work both for and against her. Janice, on the other hand, calls Brittany's picture perfect. Kahlen is next. She rolled with the punches when selling her product and produced a "kick-ass" photo. Christina was chilly when selling her perfume, and when Tyra criticizes her for being too standoffish, she tears up for the first time. Tyra asks her how she's feeling, and it becomes clear that Christina's cool façade is a defense mechanism. She receives sympathy, especially from Janice. For the first time, Christina's photo has real sex appeal, and Tyra says she resembles Lynda Carter. Tatiana takes it on the chin for her lame perfume sell, but gets great marks for her photo. Tiffany's sell didn't make much of an impact, and her photo has the same problem: she just didn't nail it. Naima handled her perfume selling well, and while her photo is hot, Tyra calls it a little "crotch-y." Keenyah was charming when selling, but she needs to bring more to it, and her photo is a slight disappointment because it seems amateurish. Rebecca's sell wasn't strong enough, while her photo draws both compliments and criticism. Lluvy stumbled during the perfume challenge, and her photo wasn't perfect, but Matthu notes that she gave a lot of heart. Michelle is up last, and while her full shot is great, the close-up isn't so nice, nor was her perfume presentation. The judges start to deliberate, and Janice still isn't fond of Tatiana, despite Nigel's assertion of her sex appeal. Nolé notes that in her photo, Kahlen "is definitely selling something. I don't know what it is, but it is selling." Brittany's photo is amazing, but her personality is seen as both cool and obnoxious. Tiffany seems either scared or scary in her pic, and it wasn't Keenyah's best day either. Matthu likes everything about Christina, and Tyra was happy to see her show some emotion in her evaluation. Tyra also has real affection for Michelle, despite her twitches and imperfections, and while Rebecca has a runway model look, she might not have the look for a Top Model. Lluvy's look is mesmerizing to Matthu, and Tyra recognizes some star quality in her, and Naima is noted for both her great voice and body. THE VERDICTWhen it's time for the elimination, the girls fidget anxiously as Tyra calls the names of those who will move forward in the competition. Kahlen is first, followed by Brittany, who is told to reel in her personality, then Naima and Christina. Tyra admired Christina because she finally "showed some humanity." Next is Michelle, who is described as "one of a kind, perky [and] offbeat," then Tatiana, Tiffany and Keenyah. As the last two, Lluvy and Rebecca are called forward, and Tyra tells them "from week to week, [their] critique is the same." Rebecca is still seen as safe and boring, while Lluvy isn't living up to her potential. When Tyra reveals that Lluvy will be leaving the competition, Lluvy and Rebecca embrace. Lluvy feels lost as she packs her things. "Being a model has been my dream since I was three," she says sadly. "I'm not the CoverGirl girl, but I know I'm strangely beautiful. Maybe I'm too realistic for this--my head's not in the clouds."

Next week on ANTM

The competitors meet a Hollywood acting coach and are put to the test when they get to perform a scene opposite Boris Kodjoe.

The models pose in sexy lingerie with a top male model, and the intimate nature of the shoot stresses out some of the competitors.

WAKE-UP CALL: TIFFANY & REBECCA GONEThis week the girls got an acting lesson and shared an intimate photo shoot with a gorgeous male model, but the real excitement came later. In the most dramatic elimination yet, Tyra chose to send two girls home: Rebecca, the 22-year-old former flight attendant from Minneapolis, Minnesota, for not making any progress, and Tiffany, the 22-year-old mother from Miami, for her defeatist attitude. After the elimination, an angry Tyra gave Tiffany a piece of her mind, telling her that she is her own worst enemy and encouraging her to learn from her experiences. FEELING DOWNFollowing Lluvy's elimination, Rebecca and Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, are nervous, especially since they are the only two participants left in their loft bedroom. But they are soon distracted from their anxiety by a night on the town at Ashton Kutcher's restaurant, Dolce. Tiffany feels out of place and asks for explanations from some of the other girls when she doesn't recognize many of the foods on the menu. After dinner, Tyra Mail awaits, instructing the girls to be ready at 11AM the next morning to "talk the talk." The next day, the girls are carted off to the Palos Verdes Players studio where they are greeted by acting teacher/dialect coach Larry Moss. He will help train the girls in acting and dialect, specifically Cockney. After doing his best to teach everyone to mimic his accent, he sends them home to learn a set of lines before being tested the following day. Tiffany struggles, concerned that she can hardly speak her own language much less learn another accent. When she calls her grandmother for moral support, her grandma tells Tiffany it's okay that she's not like the other girls, and that she's proud of her for getting this far. ARE YOU READY FOR BORIS?Test-time arrives after a morning of constant rehearsal. When they arrive at the studio, Larry reveals that the girls will be acting their scene with none other than actor Boris Kodjoe. Everyone gets their turn, some performing the accent well enough, others flubbing everything from dialect to lines. There's lots of forgetting going on, not to mention breaking of character. Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, does well, but she feels her biggest competition is Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, who has four years of drama under her belt. Tiffany, on the other hand, isn't able to master the accent, and ends up sounding like "a southern girl from a plantation down in Alabama," in the words of Boris Kodjoe. When the results come in, Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, had a good accent, Naima played well with her flirtatious performance, but Michelle didn't make eye contact and Rebecca didn't make a splash. The winner of the competition will receive ten thousand dollars of diamonds to share with two friends, and Boris announces that Naima has done it again. She chooses Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, and Michelle to share her spoils, much to Tiffany's disappointment.DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIENDNaima and her two cohorts are taken to a basement in an L.A. building, where they are greeted by three men from Kraiko Diamonds. Michelle gasps as the men open a giant vault. The girls are led into a room where Naima selects a yellow gold diamond necklace, and Tatiana and Michelle choose diamond rings for themselves. Meanwhile, at the loft, Rebecca calls her fiancé to put her struggle into perspective. When Tyra Mail arrives announcing that "the feathers will fly" the next day at 7AM, she confesses, "I need to nail this… I don't want to go home." THE FEATHERS FLYAfter the girls are driven into the Hollywood Hills, Jay Manuel reveals that the girls will all be shooting sexy pictures with hot male model Rib Hillis for Wonderbra. Brittany jumps in first, and she gets into a sexy pillow fight with Rib, rocking the shoot. Tatiana is uninhibited, but doesn't show off the bra. Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, isn't able to connect with Rib, and Kahlen is absolutely petrified to pose with him. Tiffany feels too silly to get into character, whereas both Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, and Naima do well despite the distraction of the feathers. Rebecca's anxiety is heightened since she's engaged, and she feels extremely uncomfortable in an intimate setting with another man. Michelle dominates her shoot enthusiastically. The next day at panel, the girls meet with the judges, including guest judge Boris Kodjoe, and get down to business. The challenge: to act as a spokesperson reading from a teleprompter about Paris fashion week. The girls fumble countless pronunciation of colors and names while the judges cringe at their mistakes. However, when it's Tiffany's turn, she stops after only one sentence, afraid to continue on. Tyra encourages her to have fun with it, but also says, "If you don't do this you're gonna go home." Tiffany works her way through it, and even though she gets applause from the judges, she walks away with a frown.

IT'S AIR-MEYS, NOT HER-MEEZWhen the group files back in, the first thing Nigel stresses is the importance of pronunciation in the fashion world, sounding out "Hermès" in particular for the girls. "None of you can read," Janice complains. Michelle is evaluated first, and her Wonderbra photo came out beautifully. Although Brittany acted the fool for her read-through, Tyra still liked the fact that her personality came through. As for her photo, Tyra pronounces it "best one yet… sexy but still not ho-ish." Rebecca is next, and her reading and photo were both sub-par; the same goes for Keenyah. Boris thought Kahlen's reading had spirit, and the judges laugh when they see her hair in her photo, blowing wildly as if she'd stuck her finger in a light socket. Tyra brings up the fact that she was shy on the shoot and has never had a serious boyfriend, to which Kahlen responds, "I plead the fifth!" Tiffany is next, and Janice calls her on her defeatist attitude, while Tyra says that in her photo, she wasn't in the moment and didn't connect with the camera. Both Christina and Naima get so-so results for their photos and read-throughs, and when it's Tatiana's turn, Janice uses Nigel as a prop to demonstrate how to look toward the key light for her. Deliberation time arrives. The judges love Brittany; Nigel says she is "like a wild horse, and she's finally beginning to tame herself." Boris feels Tatiana is too girlish, Nigel thinks Naima could do better, and Janice thinks Keenyah should get the boot. No one likes Kahlen much this week, and Rebecca needs some "pesto" or "chili peppers" to spice herself up. Tiffany's attitude and lack of confidence continue to be problems for her, whereas all of the things that make Michelle unusual seem to work well. Christina's got nothing going on in her photo or her reading, and that brings Tyra to a realization. There's no fire going on in the competition, and the girls need a big wake-up call. BRITTANY STANDS OUTThe mood is somber as the girls re-enter the panel room, waiting for the verdict. Tyra explains that this week the judges are "less than impressed… We're not looking for perfection, but we're looking for some promise." However, there was one girl who stood out above the rest with her photo and her read-through: Brittany. Tyra then hands pictures to Keenyah, Naima, Michelle, Kahlen, Christina and Tatiana. Rebecca and Tiffany are left standing, and they step forward. Tyra says that although Rebecca has the best body for high fashion modeling, she hasn't made any progress despite her desire to win. In Tiffany's case, it seems that others want her to succeed more than she does herself. "You might need a little more time to look in that mirror, find some self-esteem and start loving yourself," Tyra tells Tiffany. With that, Tyra reveals that neither of them will move forward--they will both pack their things and leave. Everyone is stunned by the double elimination. Rebecca cries as she hugs her friends, but Tiffany shows little sadness as she says goodbye. LOSING COOLTyra calls both girls back for a moment. She admires Rebecca's expression of emotion, but is disappointed with Tiffany's lack of care and respect for the competition. Tiffany explains, "I'm sick of crying about stuff that I can't change, I'm sick of being disappointed, I'm sick of all of it." When Tiffany continues to defend her defeatist attitude, Tyra raises her voice for the first time in Top Model history and yells, "Stop it! We were all rooting for you… Learn something from this! Take responsibility for yourself, because nobody is going to take responsibility for you." Tiffany rolls her eyes as she heads out of the room. TWO FOR ONEAs the two pack their bags, Tiffany is angry, but Rebecca is sorry she feels that way: "[Tyra's] angry because she thinks Tiffany hasn't changed... Everyone wants it so bad for her, but she doesn't even want it for herself." Regarding her own elimination, she is disappointed she will not be continuing, but "not everyone can say they've done this…I'm walking away from here knowing a lot more, about the business and especially about myself and what my priorities are." She brightens when she says, "I'm going home to get married, and we'll take it from there."Tiffany is able to reflect on her situation and get some perspective. "Tyra really did care about me [in] yelling at me… She could have easily said, 'Whatever, bye.' That showed that she saw deeply into me… That's cool knowing that Tyra cares about you." As far as what she'll do when leaving, she says, "I'm going to go back home and have a good life, and be the best Tiffany I can be."

COMING UP ON AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL…The models meet with Tyra and try to recover from the recent explosion of emotions during elimination. Entertainment Tonight correspondent Jann Carl teaches the models the nuances of a television interview, and later, the models are put to the test when they interview actress, rapper and fashion designer Eve. One of the models receives shocking news from home, which she struggles to cope with amid the intensity of the competition. The photo shoot challenge puts the girls on edge and stirs up intense emotions for one model.

Listings~America's Next Top Model:The Girl Who Get... Wed. 04/20/05 08:00 pm 9 WWOR A model receives news from home that affects her focus in the competition; the models learn of the importance of television interviews from "Entertainment Tonight" correspondent Jann Carl.

April 20, 2005Bad News on America's Next Top Model"The Girl Who Gets Bad News"- The participants are schooled on the nuances of television interviews by "Entertainment Tonight" correspondent Jann Carl and one of the models struggles to cope with the competition when she receives shocking news from home, on AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL, Wednesday, April 20 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. Rapper/ actress Eve and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Jann Carl make guest appearances, and photographer Johann Wolf serves as a guest judgeLater, the models must use what they have learned to interview famous actress, rapper and fashion designer Eve, while a photo shoot challenge puts the competitors on edge. Another model is eliminated.

PARTICIPANTS:Brandy, cosmetology student; age 20 of HoustonBrita, waitress; age 25 of La Cañada, Calif.Brittany, elementary school instructional aide; age 22 of Tallahassee, Fla.Christina, fashion marketing student; age 24 of Tallahassee, Fla.Kahlen, restaurant hostess; age 21 of Broken Arrow, Okla.Keenyah, student; age 19 of Compton, Calif.Lluvy, janitor; age 21 of Modesto, Calif.Michelle, wrestler; age 19 of Terre Haute, Ind.Naima, coffee shop waitress; age 20 of DetroitNoelle, realtor's assistant; age 20 of Reno, Nev.Rebecca, former flight attendant; age 22 of MinneapolisSarah, waitress; age 22 of BaltimoreTatiana, waitress; age 18 of Maui, HawaiiTiffany, mother; age 22 of Miami

Posted by Joe Reality on April 20, 2005 at 05:30 AM in America's Next Top Model | Permalink

America's Next Top Model 4, Episode 8: Six Feet Under by Phil Kural -- 04/21/2005

Our seven remaining model-wannabes take on a “grave” photo shoot this week, which includes each girl portraying one of the seven deadly sins. Brittany (right) just oozes lust, but has to portray sloth. How will she adapt to this total opposite? At least she still gets to lie on her back! Previously, the nine remaining girls struggled with a risqué photo shoot that pushed Rebecca out of her comfort zone. All the girls failed during their challenge in front of the judges, reading a teleprompter, and Tiffany started giving up on herself. Overall, the panel was unimpressed, so they made a drastic decision to cut both Rebecca and Tiffany. When Tiffany was not upset that she was eliminated, or at least didn’t show it, Tyra flipped out. I’m sure you remember that. The yelling began! Now, only seven girls are left. Who is going home tonight?

It’s the same night that Rebecca and Tiffany went home, and the other girls are sitting around and just can’t believe it. Keenyah says that she wasn’t expecting everything that happened tonight – from the two girls going home, to Tyra flipping out. Everyone agrees that Tiffany could have won, and Naima adds that everyone was rooting for her except for herself.

Tyra comes in and talks to the girls. She tells them that she understands they all have moments and want to give up; she has been though it too. Tiffany couldn’t see how special she was, and it pushed her off, which upset Tyra. Brittany says they all saw it in Tiffany, so it was upsetting. Keenyah says Tiffany’s head just wasn’t in it. Tyra ends her conversation with the girls by telling them to try, while Kahlen says that this opportunity will only happen once, and she has to do well. Michelle thinks that she is always so hard on herself, but is not that way so much anymore, and wants the Judges to see that.

In the house, Keenyah, Christina, and Brittany move into a room with Tatiana, since she has no more roommates left. Tatiana feels like the other three are already a group, and she’s a little bummed about it all. Tyra mail tells all the girls that they will be visited by an extraterrestrial. Be ready at 1 p.m.

The girls arrive at a hotel, and meet Jann Carl from Entertainment Tonight. She tells them her job is to get all the stories from them, and from her, they will learn how to speak to the media. Each girl will get to interview, and be interviewed. Kahlen says she loves to interview people, and Tatiana has no idea what questions to ask. Keenyah interviews Naima. They do their switch, and have some fun, while Kahlen is a little nervous and Jann doesn’t think she is being herself. Brittany gets funny, while Jann loves how Michelle is being herself. Christina wants to show she is warm, and interviews Tatiana, all while using the word “actually” about eight times between the two of them. Jann tells them to knock it off. Me-ow! You know what? I really do like Christina. The girls finish up their exercise and head home.

Back at the loft, the girls decide to go out that night. They head to a club, and Michelle says she has never been to a club, and doesn’t know what to expect. She gets comfortable pretty quickly though, as we see her all over the dance floor. Kahlen says that sometimes Michelle is very confident, and that she had some fun that night herself. Michelle thinks that blondes definitely do have a little more fun. The girls head home, and Kahlen checks her messages, only to find that a friend of hers from high school has passed away. She sits and ponders this, while breaking down. She says it’s hard to have a friend ripped away like that, and she’s trying to put it in the back of her head so that it doesn’t show in her photos. Oh Kahlen, that’s the worst thing you could do. Let it out girl, everyone deserves to grieve. I feel bad, since I’m a Kahlen fan.

Tyra mail tells the girls to be ready at the crack of down, and nobody knows what that means. Are you kidding me? I love these girls. They are like my little sisters! The girls arrive at their destination in the morning, and some woman, Bernadette Odoms, greets them and says that they will now have an interview challenge, which will involve Jann. Brittany is the first to go. Brittany walks in the room, and standing there is rap superstar, Eve! Philly pride, give it up! She must interview Eve on her new fashion collection. Brittany has issues functioning, and is a bit star struck. Jann says Brittany has some great energy, but there is too much “that great” going on after each question.

Naima is the next to go, and is also a bit star struck. Keenyah is all over the place, and loses her train of thought. Her questions make no sense. Are they even questions? I now love Keenyah six times more. Michelle asks some good questions, while Kahlen is the only girl to go for the personal questions. Tatiana doesn’t do too badly, and Eve says that Tatiana was throwing out questions all over the place. Christina says that she has to pull it together, and she also does a good job, with Jann commenting that she did a good job. Then she gathers the girls and says the winner will have their interview with Eve on ET. Overall, she says they were good, but the winner of the challenge is Christina. She’s glad that she won the challenge, and knows she had to step it up. Tatiana is disappointed and though she was going to win, but good for Christiana. Yay, Christina!

At home, Christina says that things are getting tense, and with only seven girls left, everyone is on edge. Keenyah tells Tatiana to start cleaning, and Tatiana doesn’t know what she’s talking about, then calls her boyfriend and cries that she has nothing in common with the other girls, and doesn’t get along with all of them. Oh God, suck it up! Tyra mail tells the girls that they will get to rest in peace tomorrow, and be ready in the morning. Kahlen says she doesn’t need to deal with this right now, since her friend just died and the clue is talking about death. Yeah, that’s a bit freaky.

The girls pile in the van in the morning. It’s very gloomy out, and they pull into a graveyard. Kahlen starts crying, and she says it’s messed up and doesn’t want to be there. Jay welcomes the girls and tells them that for today’s shoot, they will be the seven deadly sins. Each girl will have to portray one of them, while looking gorgeous, of course. He hopes that they don’t mind being in tight places, since they will be at the bottom of an eight foot grave. Kahlen looks like she’s in shock, and says that she has suppressed the pain for long enough, but now she has to deal with this. They meet the photographer, and Jay asks Kahlen if she is okay, and she says yes. Brittany tells Jay about her friend, and Jay has a talk with Kahlen. She tells him she’ll be okay, and he gives a few minutes before hair and makeup to get herself together.

Brittany is the first to go, and she is sloth. Are you kidding me? She should be lust, it would be another day in her life! Jay tells her to think model and not freak show. She says it’s creepy, and Jay actually gives her some advice. She quickly does her shoot, and Michelle is in the back talking about how confident she is. Michelle is pride and is glad that she gets to be what she now is. She would have done badly with that before, but now it’s easier. Jay says that she was great on the last shoot, but this time she doesn’t know what to do. Then he says she looks like a beauty queen on acid – which isn’t a compliment. Kahlen is now in the backroom crying, with Christina right there to help her again. She says that this is just another test for her.

Tatiana is getting ready for her shoot and she is greed. She’s finding it hard to conform to greed, since she’s not greedy. Jay tells her not to look like a clown, which I’m sure is always a good thing. Christina is lust and says that she thinks she is beautiful, but not in this great ultra sexy way. Aww, yes you are Christina. Naima is envy and her wardrobe is just this sheer green thing. She looks amazing though, and Jay loves her shots. In comes Keenyah, who is gluttony. She basically has to lay on bacon fat and raw salad. Jay says that she is looking a bit too campy, and that he’s seen better drag queens. Kahlen is the last girl to go, and says she isn’t thinking about it. She is wrath, and Jay tells her to be angry. Kahlen says she always tries to control her emotions, so it was hard for her to be mad, but she is glad she stuck it out though, since she wants to stay in the competition.

Back at the loft, Kahlen is exhausted, and says that Christina has been helping her, and is probably the sweetest girl there. Tyra mail says that the judges will see them tomorrow, and someone is going home. Michelle says that she did her best, while Tatiana is hoping that her past shoots carry her, but she’s not super confident. Kahlen says it will probably be her.

The girls walk into the judging room. Of course, Tyra tells them of the prizes and introduces the judges, including this week’s guest judge, Johann Wolf, their photographer from the last shoot. Tyra says that sometimes being in the spotlight is good, and other times it’s bad. For their challenge this week, they will be at a mock press conference for ANTM’s new clothing line, and the panel will be the judges, asking them things that are true and not true. They want to know the gossip. Michelle is first, and they get her to tell them she is bisexual. Naima talks about being a vegetarian, while Kahlen smiles about her weave. Keenyah reenacts a nose picking incident, while Tatiana laughs and talks about her relationship with an older man. Brittany is all over the place, as usual, while Christina promises to donate money to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Janice wants to know about the ANTM diaper, and poor Christina is just so confused.

The girls come walking back in for individual evaluations. Christina is first, and they tell her when she talks she is too “business.” They look at her shot, and Tyra tells her to be sexier, then makes her work a pole in the room. I’ve officially seen it all. Naima was too rehearsed, but they think her shot is to die for. Keenyah had the judges get the best of her, and Nole’ says her shot is “piggy chic.” That’s bad. Brittany was better for just being a drunk, but her picture wasn’t very bad. Tatiana was boring, and some like her shot while others don’t. I actually like it. Kahlen was the sweetest, and they love her shot. She quickly tells Tyra about her friend, and she says they’ll talk about it later. They liked Michelle’s openness, but nobody likes her shot this week, and Michelle says she is still trying to figure out who she is. Time for advice from Janice. She says that she went though years of that, and she’s there now to snap the girls into reality.

Time for the judges to deliberate. Everyone feels that Brittany is a wild child, and wasn’t so great this week. Tatiana fell apart, and Janice says that she’ll make a good trophy wife some day. Everyone loves Naima, while Keenyah looks like a dead drag queen, says Nole’. Kahlen had a hard time, but brought it home. Michelle probably wants this the most of all the girls, but they aren’t sure if she could be booked as a model. Christina couldn’t convey lust, so Janice shows the other judges what lust is, by modeling it on Nigel. He looks oddly disgusted.

The girls walk back into the room. Tyra says that she has six photos for five girls. The first girl called, is Kahlen. Tyra tells her that she represents facing adversity, and that she admires her for that. Christina is called next, who is told it’s not about just being pretty, but she has to take it to the next level. Naima is called next, followed by Keenyah, who Tyra says represents the beautiful girl next door, but needs the extra “oomph.” Brittany is called next, and is told that she has all the personality, but when she gets nervous, she gets sloppy, and she needs to work on that.

Michelle and Tatiana step forward. Tyra says she only has one photo, and the girl not called must return to the loft and go home. She tells the girls that both of them are beautiful, and that they both take nice photos, but it’s not just about the look – it’s about how you speak and how you articulate yourself. It is? Then how did Adrianne win the first season? I adore the girl, but she doesn’t exactly speak so eloquently.

Tyra adds that you have to have the self esteem even when you want to crumble. However, one girl has more potential than the other – and that girl is Michelle, who is the last one called. She is crying, and goes to get her picture. She promises Tyra she’ll do better, while Tatiana is in the back, crying as well. She goes and hugs the other girls, saying that this competition has meant a lot to her, and she wishes she went further. She knows her pictures were good, but she can’t handle herself when she is nervous. She’s disappointed in herself, but will do better now with the thing she has learned on the show. Aww, good for her!

Next week, Michelle grows distant from the other girls, and they notice. Keenyah gets careless, with Brittany telling us Keenyah has gained 10 pounds since she’s been there, and the remaining girls pack their bags and head to an exotic location. I wonder if it’s Philly? It’s probably not. Anyway, here’s how I rank the girls right now:

Naima Kahlen Christina Keenyah Brittany Michelle Phil Kural is a recent graduate from Temple University, with a degree in journalism. You can reach him at pkural@gmail.com with any feedback that you may have.

TATIANA TAKEN DOWNThe week was a tough one for Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She suffered the crushing loss of a friend from high school, and the pressure was on when she had to endure the bad timing of a Seven Deadly Sins photo shoot in a cemetery. Somehow she fought through it, and when Tatiana, the 18-year-old waitress from Maui, Hawai'i, and Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, were put up for elimination, Tatiana was sent home for being less articulate and confident than the rest of the girls. RECOVERYFollowing the jarring elimination ceremony in which both Rebecca and Tiffany were sent home, the girls recover together at the loft. They are still stunned at both the double elimination and Tyra's angry outburst. Tyra arrives to talk with the girls about what happened, explaining that she blew up because it was so difficult for her to see Tiffany give up on herself. Tyra had experienced the same kind of adversity in her early career, and watching Tiffany self-destruct was painful. Brittany speaks up, saying that she and the rest of the girls knew Tiffany had given up. Everyone enjoys a group hug before Tyra heads out, leaving the girls alone for the evening. The dynamics of the loft are changing with each passing elimination ceremony. Michelle is learning to have more self-confidence and not beat herself up over small things, and some of the other girls have noticed her progress. Also, when Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, and Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, all move into the Bel-Air room with Tatiana, the move doesn't bring Tatiana any closer to the rest of her roommates. She feels isolated, like she's unable to fit in no matter what she does.

I MEAN, ACTUALLY…The girls are ready for another adventure the next day, and they arrive at the Renaissance Hotel where they meet entertainment correspondent Jann Carl of Entertainment Tonight fame. She will teach the girls how to respond when thrown into the media spotlight. Tatiana is worried, but Kahlen feels that she’s got this one in the bag. Everyone takes turns interviewing and being interviewed by one another, learning the tricks of the trade. Jann coaches the girls on how to handle (and ask) difficult questions, and when Brittany pins Kahlen down on the fact that she hasn’t had a boyfriend, Kahlen deflects the question with a joke. Jann is disappointed in Kahlen's non-answer, but she likes Michelle because there’s nothing false about her interview. Christina looks forward to showing a warmer side of her personality in her interview, and she learns a lot from Jann, including the fact that she actually uses the word "actually" all the time. Actually. That night, the girls get dolled up and go out dancing, and everyone is amazed when Michelle's self-confidence results in her getting a lot of action on the dance floor. She lets loose, and it's the most fun Kahlen has had in the competition thus far. When they get home, Kahlen receives a message that a friend from her younger years has passed away suddenly. She takes the news hard, breaking down into tears in the confessional. THE SPOTLIGHTThe girls are to be ready at "the crack of dawn" for the next day’s challenge, and what they learned will be put to the test when the girls interview rapper, actress and designer Eve. Jann Carl will review how well the girls do, and Brittany is up first. She is star struck when she first meets Eve and asks her about her new designer collection, Fetish. Jann thinks Brittany has great energy, but repeats herself a lot; Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, freezes up; Keenyah loses her train of thought and babbles; Michelle holds it together; but Kahlen is definitely affected by the bad news she's received. She has a tough time getting started, but Jann states that Kahlen gets "extra points for being the only one who went for a personal question" in her interview. Tatiana does a great job when asking her questions of Eve, staying poised, but Christina blows her out of the water with her knowledge about Eve and her clothing line. When it's all over, Jann announces that the winner is Christina, and that her interview with Eve will be featured on Entertainment Tonight. PUSHING THROUGHThe next day, it's time for the photo challenge, and Kahlen breaks down in tears when the group arrives at a cemetery. She says, "It's really messed up. I know nobody knows [my] circumstances, but I just don't want to be here." Jay Manuel describes the challenge: each girl will portray one of the seven deadly sins in a coffin at the bottom of an eight-foot grave. Kahlen comes close to walking off the set and giving up, but she hangs in even though she's in pain. When Kahlen won't tell Jay what is wrong, he finds out from the other girls what happened, and gives Kahlen a few minutes by herself before getting started on hair and make up.Johann Wolf will serve as the photographer for the shoot, and he gets started with Brittany as Sloth. Jay gives Brittany some help on how to pose, and she takes his advice and moves well inside the small space. Michelle is Pride, and she enjoys all the props involved in the shoot and exudes confidence. However, once she gets started, her "pride" doesn’t come through, and the results are only so-so. Tatiana is Greed, and the photographer doesn’t see a lot of dimension in her posing. Christina is a little concerned on how to portray her sin, Lust. She tries to embrace her inner lust machine, and Jay is happy to see some emotion coming from her. Naima is Envy, and even though her wardrobe consists only of a sheer piece of material, she nails the shoot. Keenyah is Gluttony, and she cringes when she gets into a coffin full of food. Despite her efforts, she comes off looking more camp than high fashion. Kahlen manages to stay composed as Wrath, and Jay helps her channel all her energy into anger.

TAKING IT ON THE CHINKahlen, Michelle and Tatiana are all feeling the pressure of the impending elimination, and the next day, tensions are high when they arrive at panel. They meet with the judges, including guest judge Johann Wolf, and the test will be a mock-press conference for an ANTM clothing line, with the judges serving as the press. The judges throw the girls wacky questions from everything regarding dancing on tables (to Brittany) to supposed flatulence (to Christina) before settling in to look at the week's photos. Christina is up first, and Nigel mentions that in interviews, she can come off very business-like. The judges appreciate her Lusty photo, but feel that she could have given more, and they convince her to act out some Lust against a pole on the other side of the room. Naima is next. She came off stiffly in her interview, but her Envy photo is "to die for." Keenyah allowed the judges get the best of her in the interview, and her Gluttonous photo is weak. Brittany is again admonished for letting her wild behavior be the focus of an interview, but her Slothful photo is subtle and her attitude during the shoot was terrific. Tatiana seemed boring and frazzled in her interview, and while some of the judges love her photo, Nigel is concerned that her face can't handle a lot of makeup. Kahlen was sweet and honest in her interview, and her photo is fantastic. She tears up when the photographer mentions her situation, and Tyra assures her that she doesn't have to talk about it. Last is Michelle, who appeared relatable in her interview, but Nolé calls her photo "Gay Pride on a float." Janice insists that she has to feel proud of who she is, and Michelle breaks down in tears. Deliberations begin with Brittany, and she doesn't look much like a model in her photo. Nigel feels that Tatiana hasn’t learned to speak well at all, and that "this week, she just fell apart." Naima is "dynamite," and Keenyah looks like a "dead drag queen in the coffin." Kahlen's photo is praised by everyone, including Janice who says, "She really delivers." Janice also comments that Michelle "should be working at a diner on roller skates," but Tyra believes she wants to model more than any other girl in the competition. Christina's picture is sexy, but not lusty, and Janice happily enacts lust, using Nigel as a prop. DISAPPOINTMENTWhen the group is brought into the panel once again, Tyra calls the names of the girls who will move on. Kahlen is first, followed by Christina, Naima, Keenyah and Brittany. When Michelle and Tatiana step forward, Tyra says they are both beautiful, but modeling isn't just about how a person looks; being confident and articulate are essential. In the end, Michelle cries once again when Tyra hands over her picture, and Tatiana is eliminated. "This competition meant a lot to me," Tatiana says as she prepares to leave the loft. "I just wish I could have gone further. I can't really handle myself well when I get nervous. I'm very disappointed in myself, but I still can do this, and probably better with the stuff that I've learned here."

COMING UP ON AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL…The models visit a wild animal park in Los Angeles, where they study the movements of wild animals and apply what they've learned to a photo shoot. Tyra surprises the models with news that the final six are traveling to an exotic locale. One model realizes that she's suddenly gained some weight, while another struggles with the social dynamics among the remaining competitors. At judging, Janice shocks everyone with a vivid demonstration of how to pose with "passion".

ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE: MICHELLE CUTThis week the girls get a lesson in channeling their animal instincts when learning to pose like creatures of the wild. Later, they are sent off to the exotic locale of South Africa for an animalistic photo shoot, where some enjoy the comforts of home, while others fend for themselves in the bush. But when elimination time comes, Michelle, the 19-year-old wrestler from Terra Haute, Indiana, and Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, are both called forward, Michelle is sent home because she doesn't seem strong enough to survive in the tough modeling industry. After Tatiana's elimination, Michelle recognizes that she's got to step up her game, and some of the other girls reflect on the progress they've made since the beginning of the competition. Tyra Mail later arrives asking, "Are you born to be wild?" The next day, the models find out the meaning behind that clue at 8:30AM, when they are driven to a wild animal park to meet with J. Alexander. He reveals that they will observe and learn to pose like animals such as tigers, bears and leopards, with supervision from animal trainers Jet and Eric. After observing trained animals, J. instructs the girls to imitate some of the poses the animals struck, and they all get down on the ground (in the pouring rain) and give it their best shot.

The winner of the posing competition is Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, and she chooses Christina the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, and Keenyah to share in the spoils of a future reward. J. then brings out Tyra, "the fiercest animal of all," to deliver some thrilling news: they are all traveling to South Africa for their next photo shoot. Everyone is stunned and excited, and once they get back to the loft, they only have two hours to pack.

GOODBYE LA, HELLO CAPE TOWNAfter the flight to South Africa, Michelle's feelings of isolation continue due to the tight bond between Brittany and Keenyah. Although she tries to contribute to the conversation, the pair tends to make fun of her no matter what she says, and it's difficult to make the effort when she's constantly smacked down.

The girls endure a lengthy van ride to the Aquila Reserve and are greeted by reserve manager Pierre Kameel, Tyra and a traditional group playing drums. After the drum circle, Pierre sends everyone on safari, where their guide Shelton gives them information on what they're seeing. When a hippo comes into view, Shelton says they weigh "one and a half tons," and someone remarks, "Same amount as Keenyah." But Keenyah laughs it off, feeling confident because Yoanna, winner of ANTM cycle 2, also had problems with her weight.

DO NOT DISTURB. SERIOUSLY.The girls see springbok, zebra, rhinos, ostrich, giraffes, and when the tour arrives at the lion zone, Shelton warns everyone to keep quiet, since the open air jeep has nothing to prevent the lions from attacking. As everyone expects, Brittany continues to talk, and soon a number of the lions move closer, scaring everyone in the truck. They escape unscathed, but blame Brittany for riling up the animals.

After the safari, the group comes to a dark campground where Shelton announces that the winner of the earlier animal pose challenge, Brittany, as well as Keenyah and Christina, will be spending the night in deluxe accommodations. Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Michelle will be out in the wilderness, where they will have to build their own tent. The high-maintenance trio, as designated by Michelle, enjoys champagne served to them in their hotel. But when they try and use the Jacuzzi they are grossed out by the bugs they find in the water. Later, more bugs creep into their beds, causing the girls to freak out. The other three in the bush, however, enjoy a peaceful evening by the fire, and sleep through the night. The next morning, everyone meets up for breakfast, and Keenyah reveals that she's gained twelve pounds. Despite her concerns, she eats a large breakfast, and when Brittany comments on it, Keenyah isn't happy.

Photo challenge time arrives, and Jay Manuel lets everyone know that they'll be posing as a specific animal. Kahlen will be a springbok, South Africa's national animal, Christina an ostrich, Brittany a giraffe, Michelle a zebra, Naima a cheetah and Keenyah an elephant. Keenyah laughs off her animal, but a little bitterness shows through since the other girls all get to be sexy. "Why do I get struck with these fat characters? What is going on?" she wonders.

CROCODILES AND OTHER PREDATORS The girls get another surprise when they find they will be posing with a crocodile for the Lubriderm themed shoot. Gerda Genis is the photographer, and after hair and makeup, Christina goes first. She is graceful as an ostrich, posing well and sparkling when Jay makes her laugh. Michelle is next, and Jay repeats the advice he's been giving her since the beginning of the competition: drop her chin and adjust her eyeline. Naima turns on the cheetah with strength and style, but Keenyah has a tough time thinking "sexy" when posing with her stomach exposed. Brittany isn't crazy about her giraffe look, and she comes off a little stilted, but warms up after a few minutes. When Kahlen is up, Jay says she "did the best job of taking on her animal."

OUTCAST Later that night, the girls have dinner at the Five Flies restaurant, and when Michelle is quiet, Naima asks her point blank, "Do you feel alienated?" Michelle is hesitant to answer truthfully, but Brittany is over her attitude and believes that if she hasn't become part of the group yet, it's not going to happen at all. Tyra Mail arrives, which sends the group to a fabulous oceanfront hotel for the night.

The next day, the girls arrive for judging and are greeted by Tyra, Janice, Nigel, Nolé, and Gerda as guest judge. The girls will have to demonstrate certain emotions including anger, fear, aloofness, happiness and passion. When they finish the challenge and evaluations begin, Michelle is first. Nigel says she looked like she was demonstrating fear during the entire challenge, but she managed to pull off a good photo. Naima is next, and she was close to great in demonstrating the emotions. Given a second try at displaying "passion," she pulls it off. The judges are split regarding Naima's photo, but Gerda thinks it's brilliant. Keenyah's challenge emotions were bland, two of them looking exactly the same. Her photo turns out beautifully in the face, but Tyra reveals that there was a great deal of retouching necessary to slim down her midsection. Keenyah tries to defend herself, but Janice and Tyra will have none of it, saying no one will retouch a photo extensively for someone new to the industry.

PASSION, DICKINSON STYLE Christina's emotions were all more frightening than anything, but her photo is her best one yet, in Janice's opinion. Her top lip doesn't stand out, so Tyra shares a trick to help her, by rolling a piece of material and placing it between her lip and gum. Brittany is next. Her emotions didn't cut it for Nigel-- they're too overblown. But she nailed her photo, which turns out to be subtle and gorgeous. Kahlen is up next, and she got every one of her emotional challenges right except passion. When Janice and Tyra stand up to demonstrate passion, Janice plants a huge smooch on a surprised Tyra, and the two fall to the floor while Janice writhes atop Tyra. Everyone cracks up hysterically. Kahlen's picture is terrific, and Nigel says, "You are a chameleon. You have the ability to turn into anything and everything. It's not sexy, but it's very cool." The judges begin their deliberations, and while Nigel admires Naima, Gerda felt she held back a lot. Brittany "has what it takes to be a top model," according to Janice, but Nigel disagrees: "She's an exaggeration; she's a walking exclamation point." Michelle can pull a picture off, but she's not good in person, and Kahlen really connects with the camera and was fantastic as a springbok. Christina brought back her ice queen personality a bit in panel, but she was the perfect ostrich, whereas Nigel says Keenyah "has had it too good for too long. She's being extremely pleased with herself and is slipping week by week for me." DOWN TO FIVE The big moment arrives. Tyra calls Kahlen forward first and says, "Who is this girl standing in front of me? You may have been a springbok this week, but you're a lion [of the competition]." Next up is Christina, followed by Naima, who needs to bring more of her personality to get noticed. Last called is Brittany, who must perform better in the panel competitions to move ahead. The last pair standing: Keenyah and Michelle. Tyra wonders if Michelle is strong enough to withstand the slings and arrows of the fashion industry. And as much as Tyra hates to admit it to Keenyah, to be a model a girl has to fit the clothes, and right now, Keenyah doesn't. But Keenyah gets a chance to improve when Tyra hands her a picture, and Michelle is eliminated. Michelle is tearful as she packs her things, but she remains positive about her experience. "I wanted this more than anything in the world. The advice I have gotten and the criticism I've gotten have helped me change, definitely. I've become more confident, and actually, I feel beautiful. I don't think I've ever truly felt that before."

Next week on ANTM

In Cape Town, the models are given a limited time to visit and impress as many local fashion experts as possible, and one model's fierce competitiveness upsets two of her rivals.

The models must trek across land and through water to get to the scenic waterfall location of their photo shoot.

The competitors are instructed to create their wardrobe for the photo shoot using the nature surrounding them, and one model dives into the mud to complete her look.

At judging, Tyra turns the tables and forces the competitors to judge each other's performance on the photo shoot, leading to some pointed and painful comments.

CONFIDENCE MEETS COLD: CHRISTINA GONEThis week, the girls set out into the streets of Cape Town for their first round of go-sees, where Keeynah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, pushed her way to the front of the competition by winning the challenge. But after a naturalistic photo shoot during which the girls created their own fashions from the environment, Christina, the 24-year-old fashion-marketing student from Tallahassee, Florida, and Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, were put up for elimination, and Christina was sent home because she wasn't able to warm up her look and personality enough for the judges.

COMING OUT OF THEIR SHELLSAs the final five settle in for the last rounds of competition, Tyra shows up at their hotel room for a chat session, bearing gifts of South African food. Keenyah explains to Tyra that her close call at the last elimination has woken her up, and Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, reveals that she feels like an entirely different person since the beginning of the competition. When Tyra points out that Naima can be seen as quiet, Naima responds that sometimes she is soft-spoken, but it is her way of distancing herself from an angry past. Brittany is just happy to be in a group that gets along, whereas Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, tears up because she's finally on a path to finding her identity. Christina doesn't want to be the chilly, reserved girl she's been perceived as, and vows to be more open at panel. Once Tyra leaves, the girls relax, and they all watch uncertainly as Keenyah refills her plate full of food while keeping an eye on the door to make sure that Tyra is really gone.

Tyra Mail arrives informing the girls that they will be going out on the town, and the next day they are all carted out to meet Jackie Berger, the fashion director of Elle South Africa, and Paola de Vito, CEO of the National Association of Model Agencies, who explains the go-see process of selling themselves as models to agencies. The girls will be going on ten go-sees, where they will be judged on promptness, personality, portfolio, look and professionalism. Cabs await the girls downstairs, and the only thing they have to do is return to see Paola by 4:30 pm.

THE RACE BEGINSAll the girls are tense as they head out, especially Christina, even though she feels great confidence in herself. Kahlen is frustrated when she is unable to operate the door code to see the first client, but eventually, she makes it inside. The first conflict arises when Naima and Keenyah arrive at the same location, and although Naima arrives first, Keenyah cuts in front of her, leaving Naima in the dust. But Naima doesn't let it get her down, and later she puts on a great walk for the client. Kahlen arrives for another go-see where she, again, has trouble with the door. When Keenyah shows up, she, again, cuts in front of Kahlen, who lets it go and moves on to the next client to save time. Even though Christina knows she has only 15 minutes to get back to the hotel, she opts to visit one more client and races through the interview impatiently.

The 4:30 deadline arrives and of the five girls, Naima is the only one not to arrive, having lost track of time and continuing on her list of go-sees. She shows up at the hotel 45 minutes late and is reprimanded by Paola, who then delivers the scores. Brittany was seen as bubbly, Naima had a great look and pictures, Kahlen was too innocent, Keenyah was good but less than graceful, and Christina seemed bored during some of the interviews. When Paola announces that Keenyah has won the competition, Keenyah chooses Brittany to attend a dinner at designer Craig Port's house with her.

HAPPINESS VS. FRUSTRATIONWhile Brittany and Keenyah head out in a limo to their dinner party, Christina, Kahlen and Naima toast one another with champagne back at the hotel. When Keenyah and Brittany arrive at Craig's house, they realize it is a large industry party where they can meet and schmooze fashion insiders. As the evening progresses, Keenyah gets frustrated because Brittany is the life of the party, talking to everyone and attracting loads of attention. Keenyah has second thoughts about inviting Brittany, and her disappointment is clear in the car ride back home.

Bright and early the next morning, the girls are brought out into nature for a photo shoot produced by Jim De Yonker and shot by Anton Robert. They will be "kloofing" to get to the shoot; in other words, they'll have to hike through canyons and water in wetsuits. They set out on their journey, and are greeted by Jay Manuel when they arrive at the location. He delivers the news that the girls must create their own outfits from their natural surroundings, using leaves, grasses, and anything else they can find. Keenyah uses grasses to cover her midsection, and heads out to a waterfall to begin. Jay notes her weight gain, but yells out advice on how to pose serenely. Naima chooses mud and sharp brown flowers to complement her look, but Jay doesn't think she did too well during her shoot. Brittany does a terrific job with her costume for the shoot by getting down in the mud and flopping around. Kahlen has a tough time putting her outfit together and looking sexy, whereas Christina goes suggestive with her poses and limited attire.

That night, the girls receive Tyra Mail announcing that another elimination will take place the following day. While Brittany and Keenyah prepare their ensembles, Kahlen discusses her nervousness over the shoot with Naima, and they both hope for the best in their photographs.

BRITTANY THINKS IT'S GOODPanel begins and the girls meet the judges, including guest judge Paola de Vito. The day's challenge turns the tables on everyone: they will each judge one another's photos. Brittany is up first, and while Keenyah starts out saying Brittany looks stiff, Naima disagrees, and the other girls follow suit. When it's time to judge Kahlen, Keenyah and Christina both don't like Kahlen's expression, whereas Naima does, and Brittany thinks it's good. When it's Christina's turn, Keenyah doesn't like her pose, Kahlen loves her face, and Brittany thinks it's good. Keenyah is next, and most of the girls don't like her photo, but Brittany isn't willing to say anything bad about it. Last is Naima, and while her pose is praised, Kahlen doesn't see enough emotion, and Keenyah only comments on the fact that she looks dirty. Brittany thinks it's good. The next element of the challenge is for each of the girls to say who they think has the most potential as a top model. Keenyah goes first and says the one with the most potential is Brittany, and the least is Naima. Christina thinks Kahlen has the most potential, and Brittany the least; Naima chooses Kahlen as having the most, and Christina the least. Brittany jokes that while she will be the next top model, Keenyah has the most potential, and Christina the least. And finally, Kahlen chooses Keenyah as having the most potential, whereas Christina has the least. HOT OR NOTTyra thanks the girls for their honesty, and starts out by saying that she's surprised that no one chose themselves as having the most potential, since Brittany made her statement and then backed out of it. First up is Keenyah; Janice loves her face, but Nolé doesn't see it as fashion. Christina is next, and her critique of everyone was great, but she showed little emotion. While some of the judges don't like her pose, Tyra thinks her slouch is part of a new modeling trend. Naima is next, and when the judges want to see more from her, she opens up a little. As for her critiques, Nigel says, "you took the words right out of my mouth." Her pose is great, but most of her good shots were only in profile, and Tyra says that to be a top model, you must photograph well from every angle. Kahlen is next, and her critiques were well thought out; it was clear she had learned much from the judges. But though her photo was a good one, there weren't many options to choose from and Nigel tells her, "Don't get complacent." Brittany is last, and her critiques were non-existent. However, her photo is gorgeous. Tyra tells her, "Women will want to be [you], and guys will want to be with [you]."

Deliberations begin with Naima, and Nolé hates her photo, but Nigel is falling in love with Naima all over again. Christina is still seen as icy, and Kahlen's photo and critiques are praised highly by Janice and Nigel. Keenyah is beautiful, but doesn't look like a model. Brittany is seen as sexy and great by Janice, but Tyra believes that Janice loves her because she sees herself in Brittany. When Janice and Nolé snipe at each other in fun, Paola comments, "This is what I was waiting for the whole night."

FIVE TO FOURWhen the group returns, Tyra hands Naima her picture first, and Tyra praises her for allowing the judges to see "the true you." Keenyah is next, but Tyra reminds her that she's "skating on thin ice" and needs to look more like a model. Kahlen follows, and though she is praised for her knowledge about modeling, this was her worst shoot so far. Christina and Brittany step forward as the final two. Tyra says that they both take great pictures, but Christina can't shake her icy persona, and the judges can't see that Brittany has progressed as a model. With that, Tyra reveals that Brittany will move on, and Christina is eliminated. Christina embraces the four remaining girls before packing her things. With tears in her eyes and a shaky voice, she confesses, "I'm not this cold, reserved person, except at panel. I felt like I put up this wall. I just wish I would have been able to show the warmer side of me. I think it was a really big lesson learned." Next week on ANTM

The winner of a unique dance challenge earns a reward, and her strategic decision of how to share the reward causes hard feelings.

One model's belief that she is special irritates the others and leads to arguments that fray friendships.

At a photo shoot, the models must dance and pose with male models, and one of the girls gets upset when she feels a male model's intense

BRITTANY BOUNCED OUTThis week the girls endured a stressful dance competition at a South African community center, and Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan, won the challenge easily. As part of her reward, Naima earned extra frames for her photo shoot. When she distributed more frames to Brittany, the 22-year-old elementary school instructional aide from Tallahassee, Florida, and Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, she left rival Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, out in the cold. But the extra frames awarded to Brittany and Naima didn't cut it, and Brittany was eliminated because her personality and desire to win weren't enough to keep her around.

MAKING PROGRESS… NOTAs the final four get together for dinner, some of the residual tension from the last panel, when the girls each had to judge one another, bubbles over. Keenyah and Brittany begin to get on each other’s nerves, and Kahlen is annoyed with Keenyah's selfish attitude. Keenyah has also continued to eat whatever she wants as well, ignoring advice from the judges and the other girls. The next day, the four meet with two South African designers, Bebe and Mandela, creators of G'Mbo Urban Ethnic Clothing. The pair will take the girls out into the township to see where they derive their inspiration, and on their tour, the girls see the poverty and hardships so many of the citizens of South Africa live with daily. Later, they arrive at the township community center where they meet members of the Jazzart theatre. Each girl will be paired up with an instructor to learn about dance, and Brittany and Kahlen both get nervous, while Naima jumps right in. Kahlen has a tough time figuring things out, but Keenyah feels as though she should have a connection to the dance because of her heritage. When the group sits down and talks with the dancers on a break, Keenyah talks about being black and how she has wanted to visit Africa, while Naima feels left out. Despite her lighter skin, she is black on both sides of her family; her father is also Mexican and Indian, while her mother is also Irish. STAGE FRIGHTThe girls learn they will have to perform for an audience as a challenge, and that they will be judged by Alfred Hinkle, the artistic director of Jazzart, as well as J. Alexander. They dress up in African fashions, and prior to the performance, Kahlen gets herself worked up in frustration. She does not want to dance at all, much less in front of a large audience, but when the competition starts, somehow she pulls out a great performance. Keenyah feels honored to learn the African dance, and Naima feels like she can express herself without words in the performance. J. Alexander tells the audience to choose the winner of the challenge, and with resounding applause and screams, they select Naima. As her prize, she receives an extra 30 frames at the next photo shoot, and may also choose someone to get an extra 20 frames if she so desires. Kahlen is disappointed when Naima strategically chooses Keenyah, because Kahlen already takes great pictures. Keenyah gets to give ten frames to one of the two remaining girls, and she chooses Brittany, leaving Kahlen with nothing. Kahlen feels betrayed, and the competition is starting to wear her down. THE CONFLICT BEGINSThe next day the group meets with Modise Phekouyane, a guide of Robbene Island, a former political prison during apartheid. It was in this jail where Nelson Mandela was housed for 18 years before his eventual release and election as the first president of South Africa's new democracy. The girls are taken inside the prison to learn about Mandela, and Phekouyane offers to let one of them open Mandela's jail cell with a master key. Naima holds out her hand, and while she opens the cell, Keenyah feels as though she should be the one to do it. "I don't really think of Naima as black; I just don't see that," Keenyah says. But the girls file into the cell and feel the history of it. Keenyah is moved to tears and talks about her experience on the way back to the hotel. But Brittany is tired of hearing about Keenyah's connection to Africa, especially since earlier that day, Keenyah had to ask Brittany if Mandela was still alive. The next day the girls are brought to an ostrich farm for a 1940s set shoot for Caress Sensational Smoothing Body Wash. There will be drummers making music, and the girls will demonstrate what they learned about movement with some male models surrounding them. As the girls prep, the male models hang out with them and discuss going out clubbing. One of the men, Bertini, flirts with Keenyah and asks for her number. THE NEXT CONFLICT BEGINSNaima begins the shoot with her extra frames, and she is confident and alluring, although she turns on the showgirl smile near the end. Keenyah is next, and since Bertini’s attention has already made her feel uneasy, she is definitely not comfortable as the music starts. When Bertini touches her leg with a moan, she stops the shoot and expresses her unhappiness. But Jay talks her into relaxing, and she finishes the shoot. Brittany follows and dances with verve, although it’s a little awkward, and Kahlen has to focus intensely to work hard without having any extra frames. She doesn't feel sexy around the men, but she pushes her nerves aside and gives it her best shot. That night, the three male models greet the girls for a dinner, and the Keenyah situation escalates when Keenyah brings up the incident from the shoot. The awkwardness continues when Keenyah reveals that she didn't bring any money to pay for her drinks, and Brittany calls attention to it. "I see fakeness right now," Brittany says to Keenyah, later adding, "You’re very selfish." The conversation explodes into a full-blown argument between Keenyah and Brittany. Brittany brings up the earlier situation with Keenyah's displeasure over Naima opening Nelson Mandela's cell door. Naima and Kahlen remain quiet; Kahlen hates the tension, and Naima is thankful that she was able to have her experience in the prison and not make an issue out of it. Brittany shouts "Shut up!" at Keenyah, and their fight continues at the hotel. Naima tries to moderate the conversation, but eventually walks off saying, "I don’t want to hear it." Keenyah follows her into her room, and the whole thing keeps going, while Kahlen cries on the balcony by herself. The pressure is getting to them all. Brittany says, "I'm just ready for there to be a winner. Let's do this." DANCE FEVERThat morning, the girls arrive for panel, where they meet with the judges, including guest judges Mandela and Bebe. Tyra announces that the challenge will be to dance and demonstrate movement, with poses inserted at certain moments. The drummer begins, poses are called out, and when it's finished, all the judges get into the mix for the first ever ANTM panel dance party. Brittany is first up for evaluation, and Janice points out that she was holding back in the pose competition, but her photo is well received. For the first time, the girls will also see their worst shots, and Brittany groans when she sees hers. Keenyah is next, and she had stepped forward during the pose competition to put herself out in front. Nolé says, "You looked like a deep cup o'hot chocolate. I just want to sip you down." Her best shot is only "good," and she tries to defend her photo by bringing up Bertini-gate. However, Nigel and Tyra both say that a model has to be able to control the situation and not be affected by the circumstances. In her worst photo, Keenyah's stomach bulges, and Janice and Tyra repeat that she has to suck in her gut. Kahlen's dancing is uniformly disliked, and her photo isn't so great either. Naima is last, and she really hid herself in the posing competition, but she recognizes that she held back. Her photo is "spicy hot," though, and Nigel loves it. She stands out on paper, and he says that she has to bring that kind of energy to the panels. Even her worst shot isn't bad, and Nigel is very disappointed in her panel performance. THE PUDGE FACTORDeliberations begin. Nigel loves Kahlen, but not this week's picture, while Mandela thinks her look is strong and eclectic. Brittany is flawless to Nolé, and Janice and Nigel argue about whether her personality is a positive or negative. Naima is next, and the judges wonder, "Who is Naima?" They don't see her personality, and wonder if she can hack it. Keenyah is last, and while Mandela sees her as skinny by African standards, Janice calls her pudgy. FAR AWAY, SO CLOSEThe final four file back into the panel room, and Tyra hands the first photo to Keenyah. Her strong and confident performance made the judges ignore that "little extra 'oomph' that [she] might have in [her] midsection." Next is Kahlen, who is "almost a complete package," but she must learn to be sexy on camera. Naima and Brittany step forward, and Tyra explains that photos are not the reason why these two are up for elimination: it's about heart. "You, Brittany, you walked in with so much fire," says Tyra. "Now the judges just see someone that's slipping away." And Naima has a fire inside, but it's weak, and the judges don't know if her personality is strong enough to connect with America. With that, Tyra hands the last photo to Naima, and Brittany is eliminated. I can't believe it's officially over for me now," Brittany says as she gets ready to depart. "I'm going to miss getting all done up… I liked the shoots." Of all the girls, she'll miss Keenyah the most. "I'm proud of myself for making it this far, so I can look at the good. It's just hard when you're so close and so far.”

COMING UP ON THE FINALE OF AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL…In Cape Town, the three remaining competitors perform in a CoverGirl Outlast make-up commercial, and then they immediately face a beauty shot photo shoot for a CoverGirl magazine advertisement. The two finalists face-off against each other in the ultimate runway fashion show, which features some of Cape Town's top fashion designers. The models are surprised to learn the unique design of the runway will force them to walk on water.

NAIMA IS AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODELThe final days were intensely competitive between the top three: Keenyah, the 19-year-old student from Compton, California, Kahlen, the 21-year-old restaurant hostess from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Naima, the 20-year-old coffee shop waitress from Detroit, Michigan. Following the CoverGirl commercial and photo shoots, Keenyah was eliminated, leaving Naima and Kahlen to fight it out during a fashion show complete with a runway submerged under water. Though both models were strong contenders with differing strengths, in the end, Naima came through with powerful "final exam" results, and she was named the winner of America's Next Top Model.

STAYING FOCUSEDTyra arrives to speak to each of the girls one-on-one about where their minds are at this late stage of the game, and Kahlen is first up. She assures Tyra that she has confidence, having dealt with nay-sayers in the past, and she's driven to become a model no matter what anyone else says. Naima has learned to be comfortable with herself, and to let go of self-hatred. Tyra finds that fact interesting, since oftentimes the competition and constant critique can cause the opposite effect. Keenyah is focused on keeping herself at the front of the competition, and Tyra wonders if she's been eating more to relieve stress. Although Tyra knows that Keenyah doesn't have the luxury to start her career in whatever arm of the industry she wants, she does recommend that Keenyah focus on eating healthy and go from there.

THE COMMERCIALTyra Mail arrives, letting the girls know that they have to be ready at 6:45AM the following morning for a challenge. When the time arrives, they meet Jay Manuel at Sasani studios to shoot a commercial for CoverGirl Outlast make-up. The commercial will have two elements: a runway show and fun backstage action. Following the commercial, the girls will shoot a print campaign for CoverGirl. J. Alexander and Jay Manuel call out suggestions to all the girls for the runway part of the shoot. When Keenyah struts her stuff, Jay becomes frustrated with her constant winking and blowing the camera kisses. Naima recognizes that Keenyah has changed, and that she's more arrogant than ever before. The behind the scenes pieces are fun for the girls to shoot, but all three of them have trouble delivering their lines in a close up shot for the camera. Kahlen has the toughest time of all, struggling over and over with her words. THE BEAUTY SHOTNext is the CoverGirl print campaign beauty shot, and Keenyah is up first. Jay gives her pointers as she poses. Later, Jay comments that "her smile just got stuck there." Naima is next, and though she's nervous over the make or break nature of the shoot, Jay helps her through it with tips and eventually says, "bellissima." Meanwhile, Kahlen feels that the beauty shot will give her a chance to redeem herself after her miserable commercial shoot. The next day is the elimination, and Keenyah feels that her greatest competition is Naima, since Kahlen is struggling. Kahlen thinks it's going to be her turn to go home as well since right now it's less about photos and more about performance. But it all comes down to the panel, and Tyra is there to greet the three with the judges, including guest judge Gretha Scholtz, creator of the Poison Ivy bathing suit designs. There are three criteria for the night's judging: the commercial, runway walk, and the photo. Everyone watches as Tyra airs the CoverGirl commercial, and after that, it's time for the runway demo. LEGS LIKE GUMBY?Each of the girls performs their strongest walk, stomping and strutting for the judges. Janice comments that Naima had "legs like Gumby" during her walk, but that her beauty shot could be seen in any magazine on the stands today. Nolé loves the spice she added to the commercial, and Tyra is impressed that she could pull it off. When the judges ask where this energy is coming from, Naima says that in suppressing her past, she was suppressing all over herself. Janice says, "It's the past, it's [over,]" and for the first time, Naima's composure breaks in front of the judges. Keenyah walks next, and though Gretha doesn't like her walk much, Nigel thinks her photo works really well. Janice doesn't love her pose, nor could she recognize any of her inner beauty in the commercial. Nigel disagrees; he believes that the commercial was where her greatest strengths came out. Kahlen walks last, and Nigel wonders if she even breathes as she walks. When her photo comes on screen, Nigel, Janice and Nolé all love it; Nigel wonders where she's been hiding her smile, and Janice thinks it's her strongest photo ever. However, Tyra doesn't like it: "It doesn't look like a cosmetic ad." Nigel and Janice both agree that her commercial shoot was terrific, while Nolé and Tyra think she didn't pop so well. As deliberations begin, the judges have disagreements over all three girls. Tyra feels that her mind was changed with Naima's performance, but Janice thinks that she needs more than a great smile. When it comes to Kahlen, Gretha thinks "she's got the stuff to make it," and Tyra acknowledges that she can definitely stomp the runway, but can she make it as a spokesmodel? That's still up in the air. Nigel believes that Keenyah nailed the CoverGirl stuff, but Janice feels that she's not high fashion enough. Though she is striking, Janice repeats, "Keenyah needs to lose weight." Tyra notes that the three all have strengths and weaknesses, but as Gretha says, "There can only be one." SHOCK AND AWE, PART ONEThe elimination round begins, and Tyra hands over the first photo to Naima, who "opened up a door to [her] heart and to [her] spirit" tonight. Keenyah and Kahlen step forward, and Tyra asks them to face each other. To Kahlen, Tyra explains that Keenyah has everything that Kahlen lacks: sparkle, spunk and the power to command attention. Keenyah needs what Kahlen has as well: the ability to "pose her ass off in a photo," and a strong presence on the runway. With that, Tyra reveals Kahlen's photo, and Keenyah is stunned to be going home. With tears in her eyes, Keenyah says, "I honestly am a little bit shocked… Right before [Tyra] called the names, she said, 'One of you has more potential than the other, one of you is stronger,' I thought she was talking about me. I really wanted to be one of the last two, I really thought that I had more potential than Kahlen." After Naima and Kahlen take some time to reflect on their positions in the final two, Jay meets with them to explain what the final challenge will entail: a runway show incorporating the designers Poison Ivy, Gavin Rajah and Ruby. It will be a huge event, during which Kahlen and Naima will have to strike their poses on a runway submerged a few inches under water. J. Alexander emerges to demonstrate and explains, "You model tramps need to stomp this water and make this water do the water dance if it's the last thing you do… Can either of you swim?"

WORK ITTyra arrives backstage to give moral support and advice on what to do when out on the ramp, punctuating her pep talk with a "Work it!" As they are dressed and made up, neither girl wants to be around the other, each preferring to focus on her own game. Naima is up first for the lingerie walk, and when she gets out in front of the audience, she feels "superhuman." Kahlen "can feel [her] heart getting ready to explode" after that first pose. The second walks go well for both of them (despite Kahlen's difficulties in getting dressed), and they can hear the judges screaming for them behind the lights. The third walk is the tough one: it's when the judges will compare them to one another. Dressed in their swimsuits, Naima and Kahlen stomp in step with each other, posing on opposite ends of the runway. Following that is the finale, when all the models emerge on the ramp from under a waterfall, and at the end, Naima and Kahlen pose and dance under the falling water. SHOCK AND AWE, PART TWOThe big day arrives, and Naima and Kahlen arrive at panel wearing the evening dresses they modeled for the fashion show. Tyra explains that this is the time when everything they've learned will come into play, and they will "graduate into the real world of modeling as America's Next Top Model." There will be no guest judge this time, and they start the evaluation of the runway show with Naima. Tyra tells her, "You scared me when you came out, but in a good way. I was in shock; I was in awe. "Kahlen's first appearance was equally as thrilling for Tyra: "When you started walking, I thought you were fierce. I felt the stomp." But Tyra also mentions that Kahlen's mouth and neck get really tense on the runway, and that she needs to remember that. The past photo shoots now come into play, starting with the first week. The judges compare all of them, pointing out positives and negatives, ending with the CoverGirl shoot. Janice thinks that Kahlen's photo is "stunning," and while Nigel likes Naima's shot, he prefers Kahlen's. Tyra asks the two finalists why they should be America's Next Top Model. Kahlen's answer: "I think I've overcome so much of who I am. I've overcome sitting in the corner, and not being 'that pretty girl,' and being overlooked time and time again and never being good enough." When Naima begins, she breaks down in tears. "I hated myself. I hated this girl. That was my lowest point, Tyra. I walked in here today and I felt beautiful." With that, deliberations begin. THE FINAL EXAMWhen it comes to Kahlen, her body of work is superior to that of Naima, but if considering "the final exam" of the CoverGirl shoot, commercial and runway show, "Naima wins hands down." Nolé loves Kahlen's photos, but in person, "she's just dry," while Janice sees Kahlen as having exactly the right body proportions for designers. On the other hand, Nigel thought Naima ruled the runway show with her strength and presence, and Tyra "still has chills thinking about it." But Tyra is inspired by Kahlen's photos, and Nolé believes that she's produced one of ANTM's best overall portfolios. Tyra finally sums it up: "What do we choose--the girl who did well all semester and kind of failed the final exams, or the girl who did fair during the semester and killed during the final exams?" It's the longest decision making process the judges have ever been through for the final choice. Naima's journey was a solid one, but her final was amazing; she has "an aura that speaks to a lot of young girls in America, and in the final fashion show, you rocked." On the other hand, Kahlen's photos "rival the top models that are in Elle, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar right now." But Kahlen's final performance wasn't as strong; she didn't "own" the fashion show. As the tension builds, Tyra points to a display where the winner's photo will appear and, finally, Naima's photo flashes on screen. "I'm speechless," she exclaims joyfully, and Tyra embraces her. Kahlen's tears fall freely; she is devastated to have lost. "When I set foot on that runway, it made me realize why I wanted to do this… I feel like modeling is kind of my way of expressing my emotions, and it took this competition to really open my eyes."

"I'M EVERYTHING"Naima is overwhelmed by her win, tearful and happy. "I was forced to look inside Naima and see what makes me me, what makes me beautiful, and I found it… I am a CoverGirl… Part of the reason why I felt I had to win this is because I represent something more than myself. I represent a black girl, a Mexican girl. I'm part Irish, I'm everything."